Declan Rice expressed his apprehension about earning a spot in the England squad for Euro 2024, despite delivering consistent performances for Arsenal.
The England and Arsenal star conveyed his concerns, emphasizing that every player must be in peak form to secure a place in Gareth Southgate’s squad.
Rice noted that the competition for spots will be more intense this time around, especially considering that the Euro 2024 squad will consist of only 23 players, compared to the 26-player squad for the 2022 World Cup. The challenge to make the cut for the Euros poses a heightened level of competition for players.
Southgate had previously stated that, unlike Euro 2020 where he included half-fit players like Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson, and the World Cup where Kyle Walker joined the squad despite not being fully fit, for Euro 2024, he intends to select players who are 100% fit ahead of the tournament.
Declan Rice points out the importance of being to get into the England squad
Speaking to reporters in the pre-match press conference, the Gunners midfielder said, “It’s always in our minds that when we go back to our club, Gareth is always attending games, Steve is always attending games and you need to be at your best. Nothing is guaranteed.
“Going into a major tournament, you need to be fit, you need to be ready and you need to be well prepared. Like he said, I think it is the shortest squad this time, whereas the World Cup it was a 26-man squad and obviously now it is a 23-man squad. You need to be at your best to get picked for that. So, I am sure the boys will do everything they can to be on the plane to Germany.”
