England midfielder Declan Rice has admitted he had an "average" World Cup following a demanding season. The Arsenal player stated he needed a break during the international window in September and October to return stronger.
Rice believes this break has been effective, citing strong performances against Bayern Munich and Liverpool recently. He is now prepared to perform at his best for England in Sunday’s Nations League match against Spain at the Metropolitano Stadium.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has announced that James Trafford will start in goal against Spain. This decision suggests a shift in the goalkeeping hierarchy, despite Tuchel previously stating Jordan Pickford was his number one. Tuchel explained that the match would be an opportunity to assess Trafford in a competitive setting.
Rice, 27, managed nerve pain in a hamstring that affected his lower back during the latter half of last season, which impacted his fitness during the World Cup. He played 69 games in the season, including a title win with Arsenal and a Champions League final loss.
Tuchel also confirmed that defender Ezri Konsa is back in contention for the Spain game after recovering from a minor knee issue that caused him to miss the Croatia match.