Rice Sets Sights On Historic Triumph With England At Euro 2024

Declan Rice is optimistic about England's prospects at Euro 2024 as the team heads to Germany. The Arsenal midfielder, who was part of the squad that narrowly missed out on the title three years ago against Italy, has since become a key player under Gareth Southgate. This will be Rice's third international tournament for England, and he believes the current squad has the potential to lift the trophy in Berlin on July 14.

"We want to make history," the 25-year-old said during England's departure show on YouTube. "We say it all the time, but genuinely we have a group, a manager, that really believes. We have a confidence that we can go there and do something really special and, of course, with that comes hard work. That is going to be the main thing—the hard work as a team, unity, togetherness and with everyone behind us at home."

Rice emphasized the importance of support from fans, urging them to stay positive. "We're going to feel that for sure, so stick with us, be positive and let's see what happens," he added.

England's preparations for the tournament concluded last week as they head into their Group C opener against Serbia. This follows a 1-0 defeat to Iceland at Wembley. Despite the setback, Rice remains positive about the team's 10-day training camp.

"It's obviously difficult when you finish the league. Your body completely shuts down when you have a break because we're made to just play all the time," Rice explained. "When we have a rest, our body shuts down and it's hard to get going again. But last week was really beneficial, to be honest with you, I think for everyone."

Looking Ahead

With another full week of preparation ahead before their first match, Rice is confident that England will be in a strong position. "We've got another full week now until the game, so we'll be in a really good spot," he said.

The team’s journey begins with high hopes and a clear focus on unity and hard work as they aim to make an impact at Euro 2024.