20/07/2026
Gary Neville says unfit Arsenal star cost England at the World Cup
Gary Neville believes if Declan Rice were fit, he could have helped England achieve more at the World Cup after they won the bronze medal in the competition.
Rice played in almost every game for England, but he played through pain and discomfort because he had a niggling injury managed since the final months of last season at Arsenal.
Arsenal would have preferred for him to rest this summer and recover after a long campaign, but that did not happen because he could not miss the World Cup.
England is one of the top nations in the world and was among the teams expected to win the World Cup, but they fell short in the semifinal.
The Gunners would have benefited from having Rice fully recovered, but the midfielder continued to represent his country despite his physical problems.
Rice's importance to England was highlighted by Neville, who believes the team missed the influence of a fully fit version of the Arsenal midfielder.
According to the Metro, he said:
‘For me, not having Declan Rice in the tournament which has effectively been the case… not having him is a massive problem.
‘Declan Rice fit and flying and running all over everybody… [Elliot] Anderson has been in there in that midfield pretty much on his own at times.
‘I love Declan to bits and he’s our best midfielder by a mile, but he’s been nowhere near it physically in the tournament.’
The former player believes Rice's condition affected England's performances during the competition. A fully fit Rice could have provided more energy and control in midfield, according to Neville's assessment.
England managed to win the third-place playoff against France, but there was still a feeling that they could have achieved more. Neville believes Rice's physical struggles limited the impact he could make throughout the tournament.
Rice remains an important player for both Arsenal and England, and the midfielder will hope to recover fully before returning to action.
Gary Neville has explained why Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was a 'massive problem' for England at the World Cup.
