Janice R. Andrews
The stunning revelation came from former Newcastle United manager Graeme Souness, who expressed his dismay with England player Declan Rice’s lack of forward passes in the Euro 2024 final. Following England’s tight 2-1 loss to Spain in the match, criticism centered on Rice’s performance.
Gareth Southgate included Rice, a professional for Arsenal in the Premier League, in his starting eleven for the Berlin final. Throughout England’s campaign, the 25-year-old midfielder had been a mainstay, participating in every minute of their games, including two extra-time periods.
The championship match was hotly contested. Nico Williams of Spain broke the tie after just two minutes of play in the second half. Cole Palmer’s goal in the 73rd minute gave England’s supporters hope for a comeback. But Mikel Oyarzabal crushed their dreams with a goal in the 86th minute, giving La Roja the victory and leaving the Three Lions defeated.
Former Scotland international Souness expressed his annoyance on the Up Front podcast, bringing up an astonishing statistic from the game. “Watching their midfield play last night, as it has the entire tournament, was driving me crazy,” Souness said. “I’ve been researching, and Whoscored.com is a really helpful website. I have a question for you two nerds: how many forward passes did Declan Rice execute in ninety minutes? One. A midfield player completes one successful forward pass in ninety minutes. That isn’t feasible.
Whoscored.com reports that the statistic has drawn criticism, especially in light of Rice’s standing and important position in both his club and national teams. It is odd that a central midfielder would play so few forward passes, particularly in a game as important as the Euro final. This has generated discussion among both fans and commentators.
Rice’s inclusion in Southgate’s starting eleven was always certain because of his reliable performances and the manager of England’s faith in him. But Souness’s criticism highlights possible tactical problems with the England formation and calls into question Rice’s contribution to and efficacy in the midfield throughout the competition.
After England’s Euro 2024 campaign concludes, attention will unavoidably move to reviewing the team’s shortcomings and potential areas for improvement. This number will probably cause Declan Rice to pause and consider how he might improve in order to be a more significant player in the future.
While England’s Euro 2024 campaign may have ended in disappointment, the lessons learnt and conversations surrounding it will surely influence their future tactics.
