Declane Rice was happy to be back at Arsenal training for the first time since the Euro 2024 final.

 

The 25-year-old defender for Arsenal joined two other English players, Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale, back at London Colney.

France’s centre back William Saliba also played for the first time since the football event in the summer.

After a busy game at Euro 2024, which began four weeks after the end of the Premier League season, the four players were given a long break.

 

After playing every minute of Arsenal’s Premier League season, in which they lost so badly to Manchester City again, Saliba took a well-deserved break in Sardinia with his girlfriend Sandra Shehab.

While Rice was seen having fun in Ibiza with Ivan Toney and Luke Shaw just a few days after England lost the Euros final.

 

Each and every Three Lions game had Rice and Saka start. In every French game, Saliba played the whole 90 minutes.

Ramsdale, the custodian, didn’t play any games under Gareth Southgate, but he practiced with Jordan Pickford and Dean Henderson.

All of England’s players were given time off after their 2-1 loss to Spain in the final. Only Saka and Rice played.

 

France didn’t live up to the hype; they lost to Spain 2-1 in the semi-finals and were out of the tournament.

Because of this, all four missed Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the United States. This meant they couldn’t wave Emile Smith Rowe goodbye, who left in the middle to play for Fulham.

Arsene Wenger has had a rough summer of warm-up games. His team has won one, lost one, and tied one.

They tied 1-1 with Bournemouth but beat Manchester United 2-1 in LA. However, Manchester United won an expedition penalty match.

A 2-1 loss to Liverpool in the Gunners’ last game across the pond, thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah and Fabio Carvalho.