Best England team for a long time? That's a fact, says Rice
Declan Rice, captaining England in their third-place World Cup play-off, expressed pride in the team's performance despite a semi-final loss. He believes the squad is on the verge of major tournament success after securing their best finish since 1966.
Why it matters
The article highlights the current state and morale of the England national football team following a significant tournament run.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Declan Rice captained England in their 6-4 win over France in Miami
"This is the best England group for a very long time. That's a fact. No-one can take that away from us."
England's thrilling 6-4 win against France secured the Three Lions a World Cup bronze medal - their best finish since they won the trophy in 1966 - and left Declan Rice adamant major tournament success is "close".
Despite the criticism of Thomas Tuchel's tactics since their painful semi-final collapse against Argentina, stand-in captain Rice was quick to praise England's efforts at the tournament.
He added: "I think we can be proud as a group - we are just gutted we lost in that semi-final.
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