Rice is the anchor of England’s Euro 2024 ambitions

BERLIN : Declan Rice’s contribution could prove the key for England as they look to overcome Spain in the European Championship final on Sunday and win the title for the first time.

The 25-year-old has been the team’s anchor and work horse, running more, playing every minute and proving a consistent force at the tournament in Germany as England have reached a second successive final despite some indifferent form at times.

The 74.9km he has covered in 10 hours of football is more than any other player at Euro 2024 and underlines his contribution, with England looking to Rice to drive the team forward from his role in the centre, setting the tempo and bringing a physicality to the game that might unsettle Spain.

His contribution in helping out defensively will be just as important, if not more so.

The official UEFA figures have Rice top of the defending stats at Euro 2024 too, with 41 ball recovered, 14 tackles, and six attempted clearances.

He is matched only by French fullback Jules Kounde, whose side were eliminated in the semi-final, and is better than the likes of teammate Marc Guehi, Germany’s Antonio Rudiger and Manuel Akanji from Switzerland.

Rice always had a strong defensive reputation but in his first season at Arsenal looked much more polished in attack, and he has brought that improvement to England too.

He went to the Euros with good numbers - seven goals and eight assists in the Premier League last season, the fourth-highest combined total of any Arsenal player and more than twice as many as he previously managed when he was at West Ham United.

It has given him a confidence that has carried through to the national team, even though a major tournament at the end of a taxing club season is both a mental and physical