Rice sets England captaincy record but 'tired' of trophy wait

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Declan Rice etched his name into the history books as England secured a third-place finish at the 2026 World Cup with a chaotic 6-4 victory over France. The Arsenal midfielder stepped up to lead the Three Lions in Miami, delivering a masterclass that saw him surpass legendary figures like David Beckham and Harry Kane in the record books.

Historic milestone for Arsenal star

Rice produced a captain’s performance as England dismantled France in a ten-goal thriller to claim third place at the 2026 World Cup. By opening the scoring after just two minutes and 14 seconds and later providing the assist for Ezri Konsa, the 27-year-old became the first Three Lions player to register both a goal and an assist in their first World Cup game as captain.

In earning his 80th cap, Rice also secured the second-fastest goal in England’s World Cup history, a feat only bettered by Bryan Robson’s iconic strike against France in 1982. The Arsenal man’s early dominance set the tone for a first-half blitz that saw Tuchel’s men race into a 4-0 lead by the interval.

He joins Alan Shearer, Sir David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, and Harry Kane as the only players to record a direct goal contribution in their first World Cup match as skipper. Among them, only Kane matches Rice's two involvements after scoring twice against Tunisia in 2018.

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Tired of the 'proud' narrative

Despite the individual accolades and the bronze medal, Rice cut a frustrated figure when discussing England’s overall journey. Speaking after the final whistle, the midfielder admitted that the squad is beginning to lose patience with moral victories and near-misses. "We're tired of saying we're proud of coming in semi-finals and quarter-finals. We want to win with England ultimately," Rice told the BBC. "But to come third in this tournament is a real achievement."

The midfielder was adamant that while the 6-4 win provided some consolidation, the pain of the semi-final defeat to Argentina still lingers heavily. He added: "We're so close, honestly. There's been so much talk about this group over the last few years going out of tournaments. I think we need to keep going. I do think it's close. It's a game of small margins. It's football and the other night we lost on margins and in the boxes."

Tuchel's rotation pays off

Thomas Tuchel showed his ruthless side by making seven changes for the third-place play-off, which led to Rice taking the captaincy in place of a rested Harry Kane. This decision made Rice the 14th player to captain England at a men's World Cup, joining a prestigious list that includes Bobby Moore and Billy Wright.

The assistant coach, Anthony Barry, noted the emotional weight the players were carrying following their exit just days prior. He said at half-time of the France match, as England led 4-0: "I'm a little bit emotional. I can't find the words to describe just how proud I am of these players. They are playing a game with broken hearts. I see 11 lads out on the field with broken hearts, I've seen them in the hotel the last two days [with] broken hearts.

"They can build a performance like that just through pride of playing for England. The team spirit we've built the last seven weeks, it's just been a privilege to watch.... I know what the cynics will say, it's too late, but we still play against a world-class opponent and that 45 minutes, I'm so proud of the boys."

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A unique bond within the camp

Kane, who finished the tournament with six goals, echoed Rice's sentiments regarding the strength of the current squad, saying: "One of the best England groups that I have ever been a part of.

"When you see the boys around the hotel, when you see us training on the pitch, when you see us in the changing room, it is a unique group. We had that bond and had so much belief in each other."

As the Three Lions depart North America, the focus shifts to whether this "best England group" can finally take the final step. The 2026 campaign saw stars like Jude Bellingham reach new heights, further cementing the idea that the talent pool is deeper than ever.