Declan Rice is set to reach a milestone in his international career as he prepares for his 50th appearance for England. The Arsenal midfielder will lead the Three Lions with the captain’s armband in tonight’s upcoming friendly against Belgium.
England manager Gareth Southgate confirmed Rice’s captaincy for the match, highlighting the importance of the moment for the Arsenal midfielder. Rice expressed his excitement for the opportunity, emphasizing the honour of representing his country and leading the team on such a special occasion.
🏴 Declan Rice: “Last week I saw John Stones… he didn’t even know they were playing us next!”.
“I said: big game next! John said: ‘Who are you playing?’. I said : We got you lot! John said: oh… yeah!”.
“He likes to take one game at a time, I get that”, via @TelegraphSport. pic.twitter.com/9i9BAqYi8I
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 25, 2024
Speaking to the press, Rice expressed his desire to see his Arsenal teammate Ben White join the England squad. He expressed hope that White would reconsider his decision and choose to represent England, citing the defender’s exceptional talent and character as valuable assets for the national team.
In a light-hearted moment, Rice also shared a funny story about his interaction with England teammate John Stones, revealing that the Manchester City player was unaware of the upcoming battle between his club and Rice’s Arsenal after the international break.
In his early years, Rice played for the Republic of Ireland on the international stage, featuring for both the youth and senior teams. However, he later switched his allegiance to England. He made his debut for England on March 22, 2019, entering the field as a substitute in a convincing 5-0 win against Czech Republic.