Declan Rice has assured Arsenal and fans that he is physically capable of playing more than 60 matches this season, despite concerns from the club following his participation in the World Cup while managing an injury. Last season, Rice made 69 appearances for both Arsenal and England, a demanding workload he admitted was supported by pain-killing injections during the World Cup to cope with a neural hamstring injury and an illness. His return to training was quick—he took only three weeks off after the World Cup before rejoining the squad ahead of the Community Shield match in August. Rice has been a key player for Arsenal this season, coming on as a substitute in the Community Shield victory over Manchester City and starting all of the club’s matches since. The arrival of Bruno Guimarães, a £75 million signing from Newcastle, was intended to ease Rice’s workload, but it was noticeable that Rice still played the full 90 minutes in Arsenal’s Champions League win over Napoli. Meanwhile, Guimarães has been carefully managed as he returns from injury, with Mikel Merino coming on in his place during that match. Rice has played over 60 games each season for the past six years, including his time at West Ham, and believes this level of play is sustainable. He described the World Cup experience as “tough,” particularly due to the heat and the demands of playing in a major tournament immediately after a grueling Premier League and Champions League campaign. However, he feels “refreshed” after a full summer break and is determined to maintain his performance levels. Rice is one of three England players nominated for the Ballon d’Or, alongside Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, and has expressed his belief that Kane has the chance to become the first English winner since Michael Owen in 2001. Despite Arsenal offering him more time off after the World Cup, Rice chose to return early for the new season. He is expected to be part of England’s upcoming Nations League matches against Spain, Czechia, and Croatia, though it remains to be seen whether he will play in all four games, as Arsenal may request rest for him and Bukayo Saka to manage their workloads.