'We are so close' - Declan Rice believes England can win major trophy

England midfielder Declan Rice believes the current Three Lions squad is the nation's strongest in years, insisting major silverware is only a matter of time despite their World Cup semi-final disappointment.

Rice made the remarks after England secured third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 6-4 victory over France, days after suffering a narrow semi-final defeat to Argentina.

The Arsenal midfielder praised the quality and unity within Thomas Tuchel's squad, saying it is the finest England team he has been part of.

He said, "This is the best England group for a very long time. That's a fact. No-one can take that away from us.

"We're tired of saying we're proud of coming in semi-finals and quarter-finals, we want to win with England ultimately. But to come third in this tournament is a real achievement."

Rice believes England possess the ideal blend of experienced internationals and fearless young players capable of delivering success.

He continued, "We have a mixture of everything. We have experienced players who have played over a hundred, seventy, eighty games. We have a lot of players who are 23, 24, playing at the biggest clubs, playing Champions League football. And then we have youngsters coming through that are just fearless."

Reflecting on England's defeat to Argentina, Rice insisted only fine margins prevented the team from reaching the World Cup final.

He added, "We're so close, honestly. It's a game of small margins. It's football, and against Argentina, we lost on margins and in the boxes."

England will now turn their attention to the UEFA Nations League, where they are scheduled to face world champions Spain and Czechia in September.