Declan Rice: “I can’t imagine the pressure Lamine Yamal must feel”

The match between England and Spain, the final of Euro 2024 to be held in Berlin, is a rivalry where the battle is in the middle of the field.

Declan Rice spoke logically in the preview from Blankenhain and was asked in particular about Rodri, a player he compares to and knows well from his Premier League stints. He made sure that they were different players, but he showed his recognition of the Spaniard and even the national team.

Historic moment: “For sure. It’s an incredible moment for our country. 2020 is tough, but going directly to another final is brutal. We don’t want to talk about being happy about reaching the finals. “We want to -talk about winning.”

Extra motivation: “A lot. I have never seen a group so motivated. In practice you can tell how we communicate with each other. It’s still before the tournament. We want to win. 2020 hurts, and that too at Wembley. Football gives you new opportunities and we have that on Sunday. We know it will be difficult. Spain is an incredible country. “All 26 of us have to be ready.”

Tired: “We are in a position to play. It happens to us in the club where we don’t rest much. In the first games I felt more tired than now. Now you have extra motivation, especially on Saturdays. The desire to win pulls you. “We’ll give it our all.”

Sensations: “I feel calm to be honest. I don’t want to think too much, we are already preparing. It’s a game, it’s real on a big stage and we can create history. I prepare like any other game. “Be calm and do what I usually do.”

Rodri: “We know he is a Top player. Before the game I spoke highly of him. We have been compared, but we are very different players. He is not the only one against me. Fabián, Olmo, Pedri if it’s good.,, They have a very strong midfield, it will be a great match. But Rodri is a special player, we know that in England. I have a lot of respect for him, we will meet on the field.”

Relationship with Toney: “I try to have the best time possible off the pitch. With Ivan we click from the first moment. We talk a lot before games, we are very close now. “He was a great support in the tournament this.”

Comparison with Rodri: “A lot of different things, actually. He plays more defensively, I’m higher at Arsenal. The midfield is very good, it’s a classic thing in Spain. Xavi Alonso, Busquets… I had to adapt and learn. In the sense that it is different, it is natural. Now, I think they have to play me in the future, it’s a different role.

What does this moment mean?: “Everything. We saw when the girls won. What it means for the country. They told us their experience and this is what we want to live now. “We want to make them proud, win and make the fans happy.”

Promise if they win: “I don’t want to talk about things before they happen. Let’s see what happens first. “One more game and we’ll talk about it.”

What winning the European Championship means for the country: “We have good examples in the country. They will come together, experience that as individuals and as a nation, we want it. We’ve seen it in pictures, but to experience that feeling… We’re just one game away from experiencing it. “We can’t talk too much, the game will be complicated.”

Lesson learned from 2021: “We learned from that final. Now we probably look at it differently. Not many times you can get another chance in a row. It’s a great group, we tell each other what we want.”

Mikel Arteta: “I talked to him for about 20 minutes. He wrote to me the other night of “let’s go”, I’m sure he’ll be divided because he’s Spanish, but he has players in the team. “He brought out the best in us and he made me happy.”

Mainoo: “It’s great. People ask if we can play together or not. You can see that you can trust him in any position. His knowledge of the game, he plays like a veteran and has played big games… You can see the way he plays. We have a great relationship, now very close since we played together. You have to understand each other on the field, we work together in training and on the field player. He’s only 19 years old, he’s set to do great things in the next decade.

His help to the youth and if he is a leader: “I think I always try to do the best for the team. I looked at myself more. In the game against Denmark, I think I could do better, but I feel good, strong. I’m playing well. I’m telling them to go out and be themselves, I’m trying to protect them. If it means sacrificing myself for the team, I don’t care if we become champions.”

Criticisms are a thing of the past: “We defend each other. Our performances were good, we improved. There are various scenarios that come into the player’s mind during the tournament. But the confidence you see now in our attacking players…Now is the time to be the best. We have to take a step forward.”

Praise for Southgate: “I can’t say enough about Gareth. He deserves it more than anyone. Being the coach of England is the most difficult and if you see what he has done… In the group matches it has been complicated, but you have to be calm in these moments. How he reacts, in his calmness, even though he feels differently, is conveyed to us. In the qualifying round we went further, we got closer, also as a country. Many were saying negative things about him and now their views are changing. Now we feel that confidence.”

Jorginho reference: “Playing with Jorginho for the first time this year, he’s a top player. I’d probably put him in the Top-5 of players I’ve played with. His intelligence on the pitch is special. We were very lucky to have him at Arsenal In that final they were another in the middle and it was difficult for us. This tournament we had more control, we used the goalkeeper more when needed. We were calm and composed”

Property: “Before the game, we knew that the Netherlands had good players to have the ball. We talked a lot about Reijnders, but we wanted to get the ball and we did. Also against Switzerland. Against Spain it was necessary. This is their DNA, we have to learn from our experience in trying to calm the game down.

Mainoo as a person: “If you look, he is a player with calmness and composure. It’s exactly who he is as a person. It’s very unusual in this age to come out on such a big stage and have this impact. Now playing in a final, winning an FA this year, talking about how good he is. We don’t want to put pressure on him, but let him enjoy it.”

Lamine Yamal and its pressure: “I can’t imagine. Show how good it is. What he did at Barça is something to be applauded. As a player and as a fan. You have to respect it. He’s only 16 years old. What he’s doing at Barça is special already, imagine him in the Euro Cup.

Protection of young people: “I think now they are more used to exposure. It is completely different. His feet are on the ground and that shows why he now knows how to deal with it. “There are good people around him.”

Key growth factors for English football: “It’s definitely growing. It’s unbelievable what’s happening. We are in the process of recognition, of showing what we are. “Spain earned that respect by winning in good moments, we are on that path and this is our chance.”

Influence of Guardiola and Arteta on the growth of English football: “Spain’s style is very similar to the way Arsenal and City play. The way they move the ball is very good. Their movements. I have a lot of respect, this is his identity. In 2010 when they won the World Cup it was unbelievable. They are one of the favorites for this tournament and they are doing very well. It will be very difficult. A great finale. A lot of respect for the coach and what he does.”

Criticisms of Harry Kane and accuracy as a scorer: “You will see in training. He is a goal artist. It has such strength. We believe in the team that will always score. It has amazing quality. The way he leads as a captain is unseen by many. It was wonderful for us to have him. He deserved it, to win the Euro Cup and write his name in history. “It’s going to be very special”

Kane’s leadership: “How calm he is in big games. Going into these games as a player you can feel the pressure, but he keeps his composure. He is not only a striker, he can play in midfield if he wants to. He showed the world what a good player he is.”

Foden: “He is an impressive player. His presence inside, the way he treats the ball, the way he moves in short spaces. He sacrificed himself playing on the left but having him inside now makes a difference. Having him is a pleasure.”

Then as a laner: “We know the danger of Spain in its extremes. They are young, fast and skilled. Nico Willaims and Lamien Yamal are amazing and very dangerous players. We need to help Bukayo Saka from the middle for sure. “He sacrifices a lot in this position and he earns everyone’s respect.”