Sport | Football Declan Rice has urged his England team-mates to “write our own history” in Sunday’s Euro 2024 final, admitting he is still haunted by watching Italy lift the trophy at Wembley three years ago. The Three Lions are one game away from ending the nation’s 58-year wait for a men’s tournament triumph, with an in-form Spain standing between them and European Championship glory in Berlin this weekend. Gareth Southgate’s side were in an identical position at the last Euros, only to suffer an agonising penalty shootout defeat to Italy, and Rice believes the memory of that night can drive them to go one better this time around.
“Seeing Italy lift that trophy will haunt me forever,” the Arsenal midfielder said. “We are now presented with another opportunity where we can write our own history. “It is a game we believe we can win, so it is poised to be a great final.
There is one more in our legs to give it absolutely everything for the boys, for the fans and for this manager. We are so desperate to do this and bring some happiness to the country.” Thousands of England supporters are descending on Berlin, with early estimates suggesting that Spanish fans could be outnumbered by around two to one inside the capital’s famous Olympiastadion.
England’s ride to this point has been something of a rollercoaster, with Southgate’s men coming from behind to win all three knockout games in dramatic fashion: in extra-time against Slovakia, on penalties agai.
