We’re ready to make history – Declan Rice knows England can win Euro 2024

Declan Rice insists England are “ready to make history” by winning Euro 2024 and ending a 58-year wait to win a major men’s title.

Gareth Southgate’s side will face the Netherlands in the semi-finals on Wednesday, hoping to book their place in back-to-back finals.

A penalty shootout defeat to Italy at Euro 2020 is the closest the men’s team have ever come to matching the exploits of the 1966 World Cup winners.

Rice was part of the team beaten at Wembley in 2021 but believes it is now time for the trophy drought to end.

“I don’t put too much pressure on myself, I don’t think about it too much. Wednesday night is another football match,” he said.

“It’s a semi-final and that’s the only way I can see it, to be honest with you. We’re here for a reason, the Netherlands are here for a reason and may the best team win.

“It’s a football match, we feel like we have a really good dynamic on our side. We’ve obviously seen all the clips of people at home. It’s weird, because we’re in such a bubble, we don’t even hear anything, but we see the videos. I’ve gotten a lot of text messages saying that the country is in turmoil and stuff like that.

“So we want to continue to create memories for everyone, and I think even for ourselves. I think we are ready to make history, we want to be the first team since 1966, obviously the women’s team has already done it, but we want to be able to do it too.

“But I think we have a lot of respect for them. If you look at the history of the Netherlands, the players they have produced, the managers they have developed, they have always been a top nation.

“I’m never going to sit here and put them down, it’s a massive game. They’re obviously in the semi-finals for a reason. So, go for it. We’re really confident – ​​everyone at home is still supporting us.

“Keep supporting us because we feel that love, that energy and we hope we can make history again by making it to two consecutive finals, touch wood!”

Rice has played every second of England’s campaign in Germany so far, including two 120-minute games to beat Slovakia and Switzerland – the latter won on penalties – to reach the semi-finals.

During that time, the £105million signing from Arsenal has covered more ground than any other player in the competition.

“I’ve been doing it since last July as well,” he told Lions’ Den.

“We started last July and we’re still going. This is our job, this is what we’ve prepared for: 90-minute football matches. You know how to prepare, the more you play, the more experience you gain. You know when you have to run, you know when you don’t need to run.”

Rice, 25, also believes the sense of occasion can bring out the best in him, with the former West Ham captain second for most tackles and fourth for most ball recoveries at the Euros.

“I think the more important the games are, the more motivated I am and I often have extra bursts of energy,” he added.

“Even the Arsenal boys, the boys here, they say I run too much, but it’s just part of me, I like to try and help my team-mates, I like to win the ball back and try to do everything I can to win games.

“To be honest, obviously I see the stats, the numbers, I see the heat maps, but as a midfielder I think there would be something wrong if I didn’t cover the ground, I don’t want to be a lazy midfielder and walk around without being involved.”