Merino relishes prospect of facing Rice and Odegaard at World Cup this summer

Mikel Merino has singled out Declan Rice as ‘just amazing’ and said he would embrace the opportunity to face his Arsenal team-mates on the international stage at this summer’s World Cup in North America.

The Spanish midfielder, speaking after Arsenal’s 2025/26 Premier League title win, was effusive in his praise for Rice when asked about the prospect of a Spain–England showdown at the tournament.

“Declan Rice is just amazing,” Merino told FourFourTwo. “He’s shown that all his life. He’s a beast. He’s been playing at the highest level season after season, playing every single game. The engine this guy has is just unbelievable. How he runs, how he supports his team-mates physically. He’s a big leader as well. He’s massive for Arsenal and for England.”

Merino was equally enthusiastic about the possibility of meeting other Gunners colleagues in competition. “It would be the same feeling if I’m lucky enough to face Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz or any of my other Arsenal team-mates,” he said. “Facing these guys, if we get the chance, is going to be great. I love it, to be honest. I love to compete against the best.”

The comments add an intriguing subplot to what is already a loaded international summer. Spain head to North America as reigning European champions after defeating England in the Euro 2024 final, and Merino’s side will be among the favourites to lift the World Cup trophy in July. Should both nations progress from their respective groups, the two sides would not meet until the final — setting up a potential repeat of that Berlin showdown, this time with several shared club loyalties in the mix.

Arsenal’s title triumph, which ended three consecutive runner-up finishes in the Premier League, appeared to forge an unusually tight bond within the squad. The players gathered at the training ground to watch Manchester City drop the points that handed Arsenal the championship, then came together again when Mikel Arteta’s side were presented with the trophy later that week. That shared experience, Merino suggested, makes the prospect of international competition against those same team-mates all the more compelling rather than awkward.