'Bit of bitterness' – Arsenal & England midfielder Declan Rice responds to criticism from James McClean after being called 'overrated' by Wrexham star

Arsenal midfielder Rice played alongside McClean for the Republic of Ireland, earning three caps in friendlies, before switching international allegiance to England in 2019. He is now a £100 million ($127m) Premier League star and key figure for the Three Lions at Euro 2024.

McClean is not a fan, though, with the outspoken Wrexham wing-back telling RTE when filling a European Championship punditry role: “I think Declan Rice is very overrated. Don’t get me wrong, I think he’s a very good footballer, but the way the English media wax lyrical about him, I think it’s completely over the top. For me, he’s not world class. World class to me is someone who gets in every single side in the world and I don’t think he does that. I don’t think he gets in the Man City side ahead of Rodri. To me Toni Kroos is world class, He dictates the game, Rodri dictates the game, I don’t think Declan Rice does that.”

McClean, who forms part of the project pieced together by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in North Wales, has added on Rice: “I made comments about Declan Rice which, you know, people have got their knickers in a twist about. I think, for a hundred million pound player, I want to see more than just five yards sideways and backwards passes. Like, he attempted one forward pass in the half and it went straight into the keeper’s hands. Like, I want to see him do more, break lines.”

Rice, who now has 53 England appearances to his name, has said of those comments: “It might be a bit of bitterness towards me not playing for Ireland but I’ve not got a bad word to say about him, to be honest. I see the comments but I don’t try to put too much energy into it. It is what it is and you move on. Do you know what? I played with James for Ireland for three games and I got on with him really well. I am not going to sit here and slag him off. I thought he was a really top guy. When I left Ireland to come to England, I heard a few things he was obviously not happy about.

“He made comments a few years ago. I am not going to sit here and say anything about him. He’s had a great career himself - I think he is coming to the end of his career now and he’s got over a hundred caps for Ireland. It would be easy for me to sit here and say something back to him but, like I said, we are at opposite ends of our careers now - he’s 35 and I’m 25. I’ve known him, I’ve played with him, he’s entitled to his opinion and I’ve had to fight a load of those opinions from other people before.”

Rice will be hoping to put in a performance that is more to McClean’s liking when England face Slovenia in their final Group C fixture at Euro 2024 on Tuesday, with Gareth Southgate’s side still searching for a spark after entering that event as pre-tournament favourites.