Declan Rice has revealed that he has been playing through the pain barrier for club and country since Christmas after being substituted during England’s World Cup match against Croatia..Rice is one of the most important players in the England team, and fans were surprised when Thomas Tuchel decided to take him off during the match. The midfielder later stated that he had not suffered an injury, but it was clear his manager was carefully managing his fitness with the decision.Rice Fitness RevelationRice has now opened up about dealing with hamstring pain since the end of last year, managing the issue throughout his time with Arsenal, and he admitted that the decision to take him off was a smart one.As quoted by the Daily Mail, He said:“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. Obviously, not a lot of people would have known that. It was all behind the scenes stuff but it (the substitution) was a smart decision.”“That last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most (injuries), it is where you really feel your body going for it. So it was a smart decision because the last few days I have felt really, really good.”England World Cup ManagementEngland will need Rice throughout the World Cup, so his workload must be carefully managed, with the team fortunate to have several top players who can step in when required.Maintaining his fitness will be important for both club and country, as his recent comments highlight the physical demands he has been dealing with in recent months.His comments underline the importance of careful recovery work as the season continues, particularly given the intensity of both domestic and international football schedules.Overall, his fitness remains closely monitored._____________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…More Stories / Latest News“Behind-the-scenes stuff” Arsenal man has been playing through pain since Christmas22 June 2026, 12:00Arsenal wants to hijack Man Utd’s move for World Cup star22 June 2026, 10:30Declan Rice trying to lure national teammate to Arsenal22 June 2026, 9:00The post “Behind-the-scenes stuff” Arsenal man has been playing through pain since Christmas appeared first on Just Arsenal News.