Declan Rice has boldly declared that England boast their finest ever collection of penalty takers at this year's World Cup, a comment that could backfire if the Three Lions are taken to a shootout in North America.
Rice's Confidence in England's Penalty Takers
The England midfielder netted in the Champions League final shoot-out for Arsenal against Paris Saint-Germain, and despite the defeat, he would willingly step up again. Rice is convinced that Ivan Toney, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon would give England a significant advantage in any knockout tie decided from the spot.
Rice said: "I look at this group now, I don't think there's a better crop of penalty takers that England have probably ever had. To be honest with you, I think I look at Harry, I look at Ivan, I look at Marcus, look at Anthony Gordon, Saka, I can take one, Jude. We have real strong takers."
Preparation and Mindset
Rice emphasised the team's preparation: "I feel like as the tournament goes on, you obviously hear the stat about you have to win a penalty shootout to get to a final or to win the tournament, and you know that might come along the way. So we're going to be fully prepared for that."
He highlighted Harry Kane's process: "With Harry, it is incredible repetition and his process before the game's even played, the day before he knows if he gets a penalty the next day, where he's going, there's no doubt in his mind. And I feel like that's what it's like with a lot of the lads, they would look at the keepers and study, but they have so much belief in their own process and technique that they're going to score."
Rice also noted the modern ball's advantage: "Especially with these balls as well, from 12 yards if you hit it hard and well, I feel like keepers, it's tough to save, you know? If you put them in the corners, it's really tough to save, so yes, about having a process and being strong-minded."
Rice's Personal Growth
Rice revealed his own growing confidence from the penalty spot, even after Arsenal's defeat to PSG in the Champions League final. He said: "I've never been the strongest penalty-taker, but I feel like over time, my penalty in the Champions League final, I've never been so confident for a penalty. I don't know what it was, I just have my process, I knew where I was going to go."
He added: "I studied the keeper on where he thought I would have been, because my last couple of pens have been the other side. It was all about that mind games going on. But I felt really calm. I've been nervous with penalties before. We played Palace earlier in the season, I was so nervous to take the pen. I scored. But I didn't feel as nervous when I did in that final."
