Declan Rice, a midfielder for Arsenal, played for England for their Euro 2024 final match against Spain on Sunday evening. 

England made it to the final of the European Championship for the second year in a row. It was important for Gareth Southgate’s team to win in Berlin because they had lost to Italy on penalties at Wembley in 2021. 

Spain was seen by many as the favourite going into this match, and they had been the best team in the event until the final.

The first half was even and tense between the two teams, though. Declan Rice, a star player for Arsenal, helped protect England’s back line by creating a wall that Spain had a hard time getting through. 

For the most part, Rice will have been worried about Rodri before this game. The Manchester City star did not make a big difference, though, and was taken out of the game at halftime because he was hurt.

But England was caught off guard early in the second half when Nico Williams, a player Arsenal wants to sign, scored to put Spain ahead. But England tied the game in the 73rd minute after good work by Bukayo Saka on the right. He passed the ball to Jude Bellingham, who set it up for Cole Palmer.

From England’s point of view, though, it was not to be as Mikel Oyarzabal scored the winning goal in the 86th minute.

At the very end, Rice almost won the game with a goal, but it was not good enough to send it to extra time.

Fans of England talk about how Arsenal star Declan Rice played against Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

Both during the game and after it was over, angry England fans on X talked about Rice’s performance.

“Declan Rice, Harry Kane, and Kyle Walker were so so so poor,” said one fan. I don’t want to hear the ‘we were unlikely’ Englands ‘best’ let them down.”

Another stated: “Declan Rice is the most overrated footballer in the world, by a huge margin too. Intolerance to moving forward.

One claimed: “Hall of shame performance by Declan Rice, my word. He bricked it every time he received the ball, and Southgate STILL takes Mainoo off instead.”

Another added: “Declan Rice is the definition of overhyped.”