Declan Rice acknowledges that England still needs their key absentees, even as he praises his team as “unreal.”
Thomas Tuchel’s squad recently reinforced their strong form with last month’s emphatic World Cup qualifying win over Serbia, following it up with a convincing 3-0 victory against local rivals Wales.
In the first 20 minutes of the match at Wembley, goals from Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, and Bukayo Saka set the tone, signaling continued progress as the team adjusts under their new German coach.
Notably, these improvements have occurred without stars like Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, and Cole Palmer, as various other players have stepped up in their absence.
Rice, who captained the side in the absence of Harry Kane on Thursday, expressed, “Every time you put on an England shirt, you want to seize your opportunity.”
“However, we certainly miss Jude, Phil, Cole, and several other players for the reasons that the manager has mentioned.”
“We’re undoubtedly an incredible team, and they’re part of it. We should not overlook that. Their contributions while wearing the England jersey have been amazing.”
“We look forward to having them back in the next camp, hopefully. As a unit, we want to integrate everyone as much as we can before the World Cup. That’s the key focus, and we’ve made progress in that regard.”
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Rice mentioned that he feels “unstoppable” as he enjoys a strong start to the season.
The 26-year-old is thriving under Tuchel’s leadership as the team builds momentum for a World Cup challenge next summer, while also playing a crucial role in helping Arsenal reach the top of the Premier League standings after seven matches.
“I’ve had the advantage of working with two managers who clearly lay out the game plan and my responsibilities, which I have to execute,” he said.
“When you have confidence in football, at times, you feel unstoppable. I ended last season strongly but didn’t start the first couple of games this season quite as well as I’d hoped. Now, I’ve found my rhythm and feel strong.”
“I feel fit and confident, so I believe the only way is up for both me with England and Arsenal, with many positive things on the horizon.”