Midfielder Declan Rice Criticized by Former Player Rafael van der Vaart for Failing to Control the Game in England’s Defeat to Spain

In the early hours of this morning, England faced Spain in the EURO 2024 final. Despite their efforts and a goal to level the score at 1-1 from Cole Palmer, England ultimately lost 1-2 to the “La Roja.”

One of the reasons for England’s defeat was their inability to control the midfield. The central midfield duo of Declan Rice and Kobbie Mainoo struggled against the trio of Dani Olmo, Fabian Ruiz, and Rodri (later replaced by Martin Zubimendi). Witnessing England’s difficult performance, former midfielder Rafael van der Vaart expressed his disappointment and criticized Declan Rice.

Van der Vaart commented on NOS: “Arsenal spent £100 million on Rice? Look at what he did! Rice contested for the ball and then just passed it back to John Stones. He was truly useless on the pitch. If you’re worth £100 million, you should know how to pass the ball forward and more than that.”

Van der Vaart’s remarks received support from some fans, but the majority of opinions rejected his views. “Hey, you used to play for Spurs, it’s not fair to talk about an Arsenal player like that.”

Van der Vaart is not wrong, but the reality on the pitch was that Rice had little room to maneuver. Spain pressed very quickly when they lost the ball. Declan Rice had limited space and time to make decisions. Therefore, sideways and backward passes were safer options.

Additionally, Rice is not known for his exceptional ball distribution skills. The role of dictating the game was given to Mainoo, but the young Manchester United player also struggled against Spain’s experienced players and was substituted in the 70th minute.

After this match, Declan Rice will get some rest before returning to Arsenal to prepare for the new season. During the Summer 2024 tour, the English midfielder and his teammates will face several big opponents such as Manchester United, Liverpool, and Bayer Leverkusen.