England midfielder Declan Rice said the current Three Lions squad is the best in decades and is getting closer to ending their long wait for a title.
That belief was expressed after England closed the 2026 World Cup by beating France 6-4 in the third-place match at Miami Stadium..
Despite failing to reach the final after losing 2-1 to Argentina in the semifinals, Rice believes the third-place finish is still worthy of praise. However, he emphasized that England will not be satisfied with simply reaching the semifinals or quarterfinals.
"We're tired of just saying we're proud of reaching the semifinals or quarterfinals. Ultimately, we want to be champions with England. But finishing third in this tournament is still a huge achievement," he said.
The Arsenal player also believes England are just one step away from winning the trophy. He believes their semifinal failure was determined by the small details that often make the difference in a football match.
"We've been really close. In recent years, there's always been talk of this team being knocked out of major tournaments, from the semifinals, quarterfinals, to the final. We just have to keep going because everything is decided by very small margins," said Rice.
