Declan Rice Admits Playing Video Games Until Early Morning Late Matches

Declan Rice has revealed he 'can never sleep' after night games, often staying up until the early hours playing video games instead.

Speaking in an interview with British GQ, the Arsenal midfielder explained that he is still full of adrenaline long after the final whistle.

'I can never sleep after night games,' he said. 'It's impossible.'

Even when he arrives home around midnight, Rice says he is nowhere near ready for bed. 'I'll be that wired,' he added.

Instead, the England international switches on his PlayStation, 'Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, FIFA. Anything. Just play with a load of my friends.'

Rice suggested the habit is common among footballers, and admitted he can still be awake at four in the morning. 'Adrenaline, everything,' he explained. 'You don't really settle down.'

Rice’s compatriot Eberechi Eze recently played content creator iShowSpeed on EA FC 27 in a recent live stream, whilst Cole Palmer and Dele Alli have also faced the streamer in recent weeks. 

The 27-year-old also revealed that sleep came more easily earlier in his career, but that the demands of playing at the highest level have made it harder to switch off. 'I feel like when you're playing at this level, your mind's just constantly... it's just going,' he said.

Arsenal's commitments in the Premier League and Champions League mean many of their games kick off in the evening, with European fixtures typically starting at 8pm UK time. The Gunners have already played four Champions League games this season, beating Napoli, Lille and Slavia Prague whilst drawing at Bayern Munich.

Rice has been central to Arsenal's success in recent seasons. He was named the club's Player of the Season after their 2025/26 title-winning campaign, and finished 15th in this year's Ballon d'Or rankings.

He has continued that form this season, and his five Premier League assists are the most in the division. The most recent came in the 1-0 win at Liverpool, when he provided the cross for Kai Havertz' winner at Anfield.

He was rewarded for an impressive October with the club's Player of the Month award, joining Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Ødegaard as the three players 

He now joins up with England for the November international break, with Thomas Tuchel's side facing Croatia at Wembley and Spain in Madrid in the Nations League.

Rice and Arsenal face a gruelling return to club football when they return to action. The Gunners play six matches in under three weeks, including Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Real Madrid.