Stuart Pearce urges Declan Rice to take leadership in England national team

Former England defender Stuart Pearce has urged Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice to show his "steely side" and take control of the team's hierarchy. Pearce believes that if the "Three Lions" want to end their 60-year trophy drought, Rice must act more decisively on the pitch. This is reported by Goal.com .

Pearce emphasized that Declan Rice's physical and technical abilities could make him the best player in the tournament. However, he did not hide his surprise that the player's skill in set-pieces is not being utilized enough. The former defender says that even with stars like Harry Kane present, Rice should take responsibility for free-kicks.

"Top-level players are nice people to a certain extent, but on the pitch, they are ruthless in achieving their goals. I've seen Declan Rice score two brilliant free-kicks against Real Madrid, but since then he has shown that skill less often. If I were in his shoes, I would tell my teammates: 'Get out of my way, I'm taking this'," says Pearce.

Pearce also noted that the playing style of the modern England national team has changed. According to him, the current team is much "cunninger" than in previous eras and has adapted to the demands of modern football. Although this is a slight departure from traditional English grit, he added that such a strategy is necessary to win tournaments.

Although Declan Rice is performing consistently for Arsenal, experts expect him to take on more responsibility in the national team. It is emphasized that the Premier League star must now emerge not just as a defensive midfielder, but as a leader who decides the outcome of matches.