Arsenal star Declan Rice believes England have no excuse not to win the Euros this summer, as the Three Lions look to end their 58-year wait for a trophy.
Rice and the rest of Gareth Southgate’s squad are in Germany preparing for their tournament opener against Serbia on Sunday, with games against Denmark and Slovenia to follow in the remainder of the group stage.
England have arguably one of the best squads in the tournament, boasting the likes of Rice, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, but the question mark always remains over whether they can put everything together.
Rice: No excuse not to win the Euros
England will be desperate to go one better having lost on penalties to Italy at Wembley in the final of Euro 2020, and that pain will no doubt be driving them.
Rice was part of that side and was also part of the Arsenal side that went so close to winning the Premier League title last season.
The 25-year-old believes England have got a better squad this time round, and there’s no excuses not to win the Euros.
“I think the team has got more experience, the squad level is stronger”, Rice told The Evening Standard.
“That more of England’s players now know what it’s like to win puts us in good stead.
“We know what we’ve got to do to win, we’ve got no excuses.”
Rice feels that previous setbacks such as the final against Italy have made him more determined to succeed.
“Seeing Italy lift that cup in front of us last time, that feeling’s still in our belly, we want to get that now,” he added.
Rice will play a key role for England in the middle of the park, but it remains to be seen who will partner him.
Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to start alongside Rice in the opening game, but youngsters Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton have a real chance of featuring regularly.