Declan Rice accepts he had an 'average World Cup' as England gear up for Spain showdown

Rice admits his World Cup was below par but says recent rest and strong club form have him ready for Sunday's Nations League clash with Spain.

Declan Rice has reflected on a difficult World Cup campaign, describing his tournament performance as "average" by his own standards. The Arsenal midfielder played 69 games across the season, including a title win and Champions League final loss before the World Cup, leaving him fatigued heading into the tournament.

Rice managed hamstring nerve pain affecting his lower back throughout the second half of last season, which impacted his World Cup displays. He had standout performances against the Democratic Republic of the Congo and France—where he scored in the third-place playoff—but struggled in other matches.

After returning to Arsenal, he felt unwell following the Brighton defeat on 19 September and withdrew from England's first four Nations League matches with manager Thomas Tuchel's blessing to recover.

Having used the international break in September and October to rebuild his fitness, Rice says he is now in a much better place. Recent performances against Bayern Munich and Liverpool have shown improvement, and he is ready to perform at his best for England's Nations League showdown against Spain at the Metropolitano Stadium on Sunday. A win would see England top their group and leapfrog the world champions.