Declan Rice was arguably Arsenal’s most important player during their title-winning season.
Right now, he looks like a man running on empty.
Rice played 90 minutes as England edged past DR Congo in the World Cup Round of 32, even filling in commendably at right-back for the last 20 minutes.
BBC 5 Live reporter John Murray caught up with the Arsenal man pitchside after the 2-1 win and made a telling observation.
“Well done, Declan. We’ll see you in Mexico City. And off he goes. And I have to say, Kelly, he looks absolutely frazzled,” he said.
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Murray later interviewed his teammate Elliot Anderson, and noticed a clear difference in their condition.
“I’ve just spoken to Declan Rice, Elliott, who looked as though he’d been dragged through a hedge backwards,” he said. “You look as cool as can be, but what a match that must have been.”
So why is it then, that Rice looks spent and Anderson looks fresh?
Why Arsenal’s players look physically exhausted at this World Cup
Arsenal played 63 of a possible 65 games across four competitions in 2025/26, more than any other side from Europe’s big five leagues.
The toll of such an enduring season is written all over their players at this tournament.
Rice has been managing discomfort in his lower back and hamstring throughout the campaign and has clearly not been at his sharpest.
Bukayo Saka is similarly managing his fitness, while William Saliba has been playing through a back issue serious enough to potentially require post-tournament surgery.
Norway are enjoying an impressive run in the tournament, but captain Martin Odegaard looks far from his best level.
That is a worrying trend that could cost Mikel Arteta the title if he is not careful next season.
The Arsenal boss will take some comfort from the fact that several of his players have already exited the tournament unscathed.
Viktor Gyokeres, Piero Hincapie and Kai Havertz are already heading home for some much-earned rest.
The longer the likes of Rice, Saka, and Saliba remain in the competition, the less time they have to recover before pre-season.
Arsenal face Manchester City in the Community Shield on 16 August, before opening their Premier League title defence against Coventry on 21 August.
Players who advance deep into the World Cup will almost certainly need to be eased back in, potentially missing the first league game and possibly beyond.
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