July 15th 2024.
After a thrilling finale to the Euro 2024 final, former Netherlands midfielder Rafael van der Vaart couldn't resist sharing his thoughts on England's performance. The spotlight fell on one player in particular, Declan Rice, who was slammed by Van der Vaart as "useless" and not living up to his £100million price tag.
Spain emerged as the victors, claiming their fourth European Championship title thanks to Mikel Oyarzabal's 86th minute goal. It was a tough night for England, who struggled to keep up with their Spanish counterparts in the midfield. Despite starting every game in the tournament and being a key player for England, Rice failed to replicate his top form from his debut season at Arsenal.
Van der Vaart was not impressed with Rice's contribution, and on Dutch TV channel NOS, he openly criticized the 25-year-old's performance. "What does he do?" Van der Vaart questioned, "He comes to collect the ball only to pass it back to John Stones. He is useless. If you are truly worth £100m, then you should be able to play a ball forward."
England's manager Gareth Southgate also acknowledged their shortcomings in the final, admitting that their inability to hold onto the ball cost them the game. Despite a strong defensive effort in the first half, they struggled to break through Spain's counter-press and maintain possession. Southgate pointed out that their physical toll from previous matches, as well as Spain's dominance in possession, ultimately took a toll on their performance.
It was a disappointing end for England, who had high hopes after a strong campaign in the tournament. But as Van der Vaart and Southgate noted, there were areas for improvement and lessons to be learned from their defeat. Only time will tell if Rice and his teammates can bounce back and make a stronger impact in future competitions.
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