Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has revealed how deeply England’s Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain affected him — but vowed he is ready to play continuously for the next year to succeed for club and country.
Rice was one of four men to play every minute of England’s run at last year’s tournament yet still started Arsenal’s opening Premier League game against Wolves 34 days later and went on to feature in 60 matches across all competitions.
England became the first team ever to lose back-to-back Euros finals and speaking on Arsenal’s preseason tour to Asia, Rice opened up about the effect it had on his 2024-25 season.
“I’m putting really big demands on myself this year,” he said. “I’m really trying to push myself because the back end of the season I finished really, really strong.
“At the start of the season last year I was nowhere near the level that I require of myself. I put it down to a few things. The back of the Euros final was mentally really tough. Having 16 days off, going straight back into a Premier League season. It was really, really hard.
“It took me a few months to get going again but now I’m getting a full preseason, I feel really fit, really strong and I’m going to try and kick off the new season really, really strong and that’s what I want to do and put the demands on myself to do that.”
Rice was speaking in Singapore after playing 66 minutes of Arsenal’s 1-0 win over AC Milan. Next year’s World Cup Final takes place on July 19, meaning he is one of several players potentially facing the prospect of a full 12 months of football if England progress.
“It’s our job isn’t it,” he said in response. “It’s our job. It’s what we do and we do love it. There’s more and more players speaking out now about having rest and I think it is key because injuries have gone up.
“But look, it’s just one of those things. The World Cup is the biggest tournament in the world. Everyone wants to play in it and there’s going to be no complaints from any player, especially when we get to the 19th of July and we can win a World Cup. I think that would be pretty special and no-one would be complaining. It’s a long way away and you’ve just got to stay fit and healthy, that’s the main thing.”
Rice has gradually taken on a more attacking role in Arsenal’s team since signing from West Ham for a fee of £105 million ($142m) in 2023. After arriving as a defensive midfielder, Rice was given more licence to play as a No. 8 — something that is set to increase after the club signed MartÃn Zubimendi and Christian Nørgaard, two No. 6s, this summer.
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“I have the capacity to play number six if needed but we obviously have Zubimendi and Christian Nørgaard, who have been incredible,” Rice said.
“To see them up close in the first two weeks has been really, really good. I think the manager now sees me as a box-to-box player and I think at the back end of last season, off the back of Christmas, I showed fully what I can do in that position and I really kicked on.
“There’s still so much room for growth in that area for me as well. I’m looking forward to the season ahead and set myself some really good targets that I want to try and hit personally so I’m going to keep pushing to do that.
“More goals, more assists, impact the games more. Not just do it at the back end of the season, do it in a full season and set myself some numbers. I think the best players in the world do that. They want to try and push themselves and that’s what I’m trying to do and the manager is certainly on me to do that as well.”
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