Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has been enjoying a luxury holiday in Sardinia alongside television presenter James Corden and former team-mate Mark Noble.
The 27-year-old posted 12 photographs on Instagram with the single caption 'peace' following a demanding season for club and country. He was pictured at Nammos Baja, a high-end Asian fusion restaurant located on the coast of the Italian island of Sardinia, alongside Corden and Noble.
Rice also shared a photograph arm-in-arm with Noble standing in front of a luxury yacht, as well as an image featuring a large cruise liner with a helicopter perched on top. The midfielder struck up a friendship with Corden during England's Euro 2020 campaign, when Noble took him to watch one of the matches. Noble, who captained West Ham United before retiring, currently serves as sporting director for the Championship club.
In addition to dining out on the coast, Rice shared a selfie taken from the driver's seat of a jet ski while relaxing in the Mediterranean. The England international also spent family time with his three-year-old son Jude, who was photographed kicking a football on a golf course and trying his hand at fishing.
Demanding campaign for club and country
The summer break comes after Rice completed an exhausting 69 appearances across all competitions during the previous campaign. He helped Arsenal secure their first Premier League title in 22 years and reach their first Champions League final in two decades, where the Gunners were beaten on penalties by Paris Saint-Germain.
Rice subsequently played a crucial role in England's third-place finish at the World Cup under manager Thomas Tuchel. However, his international tournament was hampered by injury and illness. He limped out of England's group-stage match against Ghana with heavy strapping on his left calf.
It later emerged that Rice suffered from a neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back, leaving him bed-bound for three days prior to England's quarter-final victory against Norway. After being substituted at half-time in that match against Erling Haaland's team, Rice returned to feature for 82 minutes in the semi-final defeat against Argentina.
He appeared back to his best in the bronze-medal match against France, opening the scoring with a stunning third-minute strike before completing the full 90 minutes of a remarkable 10-goal thriller.
Return to pre-season and opening fixtures
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta remains keen not to rush Rice back ahead of schedule given the importance of keeping key players fit for the upcoming season. Arteta praised the midfielder's mindset when he returned for pre-season training at the end of July.
"We have three different pre-seasons with different groups, but the most important thing is the attitude," Arteta said at the end of July. "When I speak to Declan Rice, he is already saying, 'OK, if I come this day, then I can play then.' That is much more powerful than the programme. We want to adapt to the context, which is different."
Rice is now easing back into preparation after watching Arsenal's pre-season friendly against Italian club Como in north London on Wednesday. The Premier League champions kick off their competitive campaign against Manchester City in the Community Shield at Cardiff's Principality Stadium this weekend.
The Premier League champions will then kick off the new league season on Friday night, 21 August, hosting newly promoted Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium. Coventry are managed by former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard.
