Declan Rice calls England schedule ‘obscene’ as he manages hamstring

England midfielder Declan Rice disclosed that he has been coping with a hamstring injury throughout the second half of the season, describing the international and club calendar as an ‘obscene’ and ‘crazy’ schedule. He confirmed his readiness to start England’s World Cup second‑round match against Ghana in Boston on 23 June.

Rice praised manager Thomas Tuchel’s choice to substitute him at halftime of England’s 4‑2 victory over Croatia. He called the substitution a ‘smart decision’ after feeling early signs of hamstring discomfort.

“It was a smart decision. I was feeling a little bit of neural pain in my hamstring, which I was managing from after Christmas with Arsenal for a very long time,” Rice told ITV. He added that the pain was largely hidden from public view, describing it as “behind‑the‑scenes stuff.”

“In the end, that last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most, and it’s where you play a seventy‑minute match. But that last twenty is where you really feel your body going for it,” he explained. He said he felt “really, really good” in the days leading up to the Croatia match.

Rice logged 63 appearances for club and country this season, after moving from West Ham to Arsenal, and helped the London club win the Premier League and reach the Champions League final. His total minutes totalled 4,456 for Arsenal, second only to goalkeeper David Raya, and 540 for England.

“You get on with it obviously. It’s an obscene amount of games,” Rice said, acknowledging the demanding schedule. He noted that the calendar left little room for complaint, insisting players must simply endure the load.

With the hamstring under control, Rice confirmed he is fit to start England’s second World Cup game against Ghana in Boston on 23 June. His recent feeling of being “really, really good” supports his readiness for the upcoming fixture.