July 13th 2024.
Declan Rice, the talented midfielder from Arsenal, has been a key player for England in their Euro 2024 campaign. He recently revealed that his manager, Mikel Arteta, had sent him a message wishing him luck for the final against Spain. After an impressive first season with the Gunners, Rice has been a regular starter for England, and is expected to continue his run in the final match in Berlin.
Rice, who is now 25 years old, has become one of Gareth Southgate's most trusted players in recent years. He was even named in England's new leadership group, along with captain Harry Kane and Kyle Walker. In fact, he is one of only four players to have played every single minute of England's journey so far, along with Jordan Pickford, John Stones, and Walker.
However, it hasn't always been smooth sailing for Rice. Three years ago, he was on the losing side in the European Championship final, where England was defeated by Italy on penalties. He was substituted in the 74th minute, and he is determined to make amends in this year's final.
During a press conference before the match, Rice opened up about his conversations with Arteta following England's thrilling victory over the Netherlands. He said, "I spoke to Mikel, he's been great. We had a phone call the other day, and we talked for about ten minutes. It was good to catch up with him because I hadn't spoken to him since the end of the season. And then he texted me the other night saying, 'Vamos!' when we reached the final."
Rice also acknowledged Arteta's difficult position as he will be torn between his Spanish roots and the fact that two of his Arsenal players, Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale, are also in the English squad. "I'm sure he's going to be split because he's Spanish, but he also has boys in the squad who are obviously English as well," Rice said. "So it's a tough one for him, but he did wish me all the best, so I was happy with that."
As he prepares to face Spain in the final, Rice has pledged to give his all to help England end their 58-year wait for a major trophy. "In the first couple of games, I was feeling more tired than I am now," he admitted. "But as the stakes got higher, the adrenaline kicked in, and I found that extra bit of energy and fire. On Sunday, all of us will run through brick walls and do anything to win this game. Whether it's in 90 minutes or 120, we'll give it absolutely everything. That's all we can ask of each other."
It's been a remarkable journey for Rice, and he will be hoping to cap it off with a victory in what is England's first ever final on foreign soil. And with the support and well-wishes from his manager, Arteta, and his Arsenal teammates, he will be more motivated than ever to bring the trophy home.
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