Declan Rice says playing on England’s biggest stage has only increased his desire to play in the Champions League in the future, stating: “You only have one career.”
Rice started in all three of England’s World Cup games in Qatar, helping the Three Lions top their group in the tournament for the first time since the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
The West Ham midfielder has been associated with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea in recent years, and his solid international performances have done little to dampen interest in his services.
Asked if his desire to reach the top of the club game has increased as a result of his time at Gareth Southgate’s team, Rice replied: “Yes, 100 per cent.
“I’ve been talking about this for the last two or three years. I play consistently well [my] club and I feel like I really want to keep fighting.
“I see my friends here who play in the Champions League and for big trophies.
“You only get one career and at the end of your career you want to look back at what you’ve won and the most important games you’ve played. I’m really ambitious.”
Rice has made seven World Cup interceptions so far – at least five more than any of his England teammates – and only Jude Bellingham (18) and Luke Shaw (17) have returned the ball more than him for the Three Lions. “. (fourteen).
England will play Senegal for a place in the quarter-finals on Sunday, having gone through five of their previous seven matches in the World Cup round of 16 (failing to do so against Argentina in 1998 and Germany in 2010).
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Congratulations Dec and #ThreeLions pic.twitter.com/SyJQxNanhM
— West Ham United (@WestHam) November 29, 2022