Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has spoken candidly about his ongoing fitness challenges since joining England’s World Cup squad.

Rice was seen leaving the Boston Stadium with a limp and strapping on his left calf after England were held to a 0-0 draw against Ghana on Tuesday.

The midfielder, who has been dealing with long-standing injury issues throughout this World Cup and had requested to be substituted against Croatia, managed to complete the full ninety minutes as England struggled to find a way past Ghana’s compact defensive setup.

However, it now appears that the 25-year-old may have picked up another concern during the game. As he walked through the mixed zone after the match, Rice was visibly limping and had noticeable strapping on his leg.

The extent of the injury remains uncertain, and it is yet to be confirmed whether Rice will be fit to feature in England’s final group stage fixture against Panama on Saturday.

Rice had impressed in the draw with Ghana, showing his usual composure and defensive intensity in midfield.

His earlier substitution against Croatia was believed to be precautionary, and he had participated fully in training sessions leading up to the Ghana clash.

Following the Croatia match, England manager Thomas Tuchel explained Rice’s situation, saying: “Declan pointed to his lower back and upper hamstring and felt some discomfort. I didn’t want to take any risks. It was a moment to protect him. Declan reassured me at the end that it’s good. It’s nothing major to worry about.”

Earlier this week, Rice revealed to ITV that he has been coping with neural pain in his hamstring since Christmas.

Despite that, he maintained that he feels in peak condition heading into this World Cup campaign.

Speaking on Thursday, Rice said: “I feel like I’ve come into England camp with a spring in my step. I think as we keep playing strong opponents, you’ll continue to see the best of me.”

“This season has probably been more mentally draining than physically. But I’m in a very positive mental space now and physically I feel great too.”