DECLAN RICE has vowed to sink his first proper beer if England win the Euros.
The Arsenal midfielder made the same pledge three years ago but kept his powder dry after the Three Lions suffered an agonising defeat by Italy on penalties in the Wembley final.
As Gareth Southgate’s side prepare for a Sunday showdown with Spain, Rice said: “I remember that.
“Since that time I’ve had a beer but I had it with a bit of lemonade.
“If we win I’ll have a proper beer. I’ll probably have to hold my nose as I hate the smell.
“I’ve been in this position before and it feels just as good. Now we’re in another final. We are so together.
“You can see how much it means to everyone.”
England’s progress to a second consecutive Euros final has been anything but smooth with little to raise a glass to in some of the performances.
But champagne moments like Ollie Watkins’ last-minute semi-final winner against Holland have sent them to Berlin.
That followed Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time overhead kick equaliser against Slovakia in the last-16 and the five perfect penalties that did for Switzerland in the quarter-finals.
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King Charles has now urged England to find a less dramatic way to win.
And Rice revealed the team also got a little royal advice before the tournament kicked off.
Rice said: “When Prince William came into St George’s Park he said it would be a rollercoaster and that this tournament is brutal.
“That’s what it’s been from the first minute. You couldn’t write it and to be part of it is so special.
“It started with Jude’s overhead, then the pens, then Holland was a completely different challenge.
“But those moments in football that Ollie has just come back with, you can’t describe it.
“I was so emotional at the end because it’s been a tough road.
“I know the final is going to be a really tough game and hopefully someone else can write some history into the books.
“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 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.”
AFTER what has been a tough tournament of times, what an opportunity Gareth Southgate and his team will have to end in the best possible way, writes Jack Wilshere.
We might like a team that played better football. But it’s a results business.
Germany, Italy, France, Portugal and of course Holland would love to be where we are.
People will say we’re lucky because we’re on this side of the draw.
But we won the group. France didn’t and then ran into Spain.
You can say it wasn’t that pretty, but we’re there.
Gareth and his coaches won’t have been happy with some of the performances.
But I did like the way Gareth and his team have dealt with it.
There was no panic coming out of the camp.
Everyone gave the same message: ‘We know we can better, but we’re here still.’
And on Sunday they will be in Berlin to play Spain.
They will probably have to produce two halves of football as good as the first against Holland to beat them.
We have improved as the tournament has gone on and that is how you win things.
You want to peak in the final.
If Gareth can lead England to that major trophy we’ve all been waiting for, it will be the perfect answer to the critics and a brilliant day for us all.
Read Jack Wilshere’s England vs Holland verdict in full.
Or check out all of SunSport columnist Jack’s Euros 2024 opinions…
