DECLAN RICE SAYS James McClean’s recent comments about him may be motivated by “bitterness” over Rice’s decision to play for England over Ireland. 

Rice played three times for Ireland before swapping to England, for whom he is an integral player and has won more than 50 caps. 

Speaking as a pundit on RTÉ ahead of England’s second Euro 2024 group game against Denmark, McClean said there is too much hype around Rice, saying he is “overrated.” 

“Don’t get me wrong, I think he’s a very good footballer, but the way the English media wax lyrical about him is completely over the top”, said McClean.

“For me, he’s not world class. To me world-class is someone who gets in every side in the world. I don’t think he does that.

“I don’t think he gets in the Man City side ahead of Rodri. I know Toni Kross is now retiring, but to me Toni Kroos is world-class. He dictates the game, Rodri dictates the game, I don’t think Declan Rice does that.

“He’s not someone who is going get on the half-turn and play passes forward. He is very good at what he does.”

Those comments were put to Rice ahead of today’s final group game against Slovenia, with Rice largely conciliatory to McClean before adding the comments may have arisen from his decision to switch to England. Speaking in 2019 in the immediate aftermath of Rice’s switch, McClean said anyone not proud to play for Ireland should “sod off and play for someone else.”

“I played with James for Ireland for three games and I got on with him really well” Rice told the UK Independent.

“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.

“It is what it is. 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.

“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. You live and learn.”