Arabic version: رايس يعلن أن إنجلترا تمتلك أفضل مجموعة منذ زمن طويل
Declan Rice said England had “the best England group for a very long time” after a 6-4 win over France that secured a World Cup bronze medal, the nation’s best finish since 1966.
According to the BBC Sport article linked above (BBC News), Rice insisted the squad can be proud of their tournament while remaining convinced that major tournament success is close: “We’re so close, honestly.” The victory followed a painful semi-final defeat to Argentina that prompted criticism of manager Thomas Tuchel’s tactics.
This is England’s highest World Cup placing in six decades and the result underlines both the squad’s strong cohesion and outstanding questions about match decisions. The players collected bronze medals in Miami and paraded them for travelling fans. The tournament exposed raw emotions in the camp, with assistant manager Anthony Barry describing the players during a half-time interview: “They’re playing a game with broken hearts.”
Tuchel defended his decisions and said he did not think he had lost the trust of the squad: “I don’t think that we lost the trust. I don’t think I lost the trust.” He also reflected on the gap to the top nations, saying England have the ability to close it but opponents “have the ability to open it up again.” The campaign included moments that drew scrutiny, such as Tuchel’s choice not to send on Bukayo Saka in the semi-final against Argentina; Saka, an unused substitute in that game, then scored a hat-trick against France and said he is “fit.”
Harry Kane, who scored six goals at this World Cup, described the squad as “one of the best England groups that I have ever been a part of.” It seems likely, the article notes, that Tuchel will stay in place through Euro 2028, which the piece describes as being co-hosted in England. The coverage signals clear ambition from players and staff, while also underlining that converting this bronze finish into a major title will require addressing narrow margins and tactical questions revealed during the campaign.
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