England midfielder Declan Rice confronted goalkeeper Jordan Pickford during the Euro 2024 final against Spain. The incident occurred in the early stages of the game when Pickford invited pressure from Spain with a throw to Phil Foden.
Rice was seen remonstrating with Pickford, telling him to “calm down” after the goalkeeper had argued with Foden over a mistake. The Arsenal midfielder walked away from the heated discussion, but the incident highlighted the tension within the England camp.
England struggled to create chances in the first half, with Kyle Walker’s cross and a late Foden effort from a free-kick being their only attempts on goal. Spain took the lead in the second half through Nico Williams, but England equalized through Cole Palmer’s controlled effort.
However, Spain turned the game around, with Marc Cucurella crossing for substitute Mikel Oyarzabal to tap in the winner in the 86th minute. Dani Olmo headed Marc Guehi’s effort off the line from a late corner to seal the win for Spain.
The defeat was a heartbreaking end to England’s Euro 2024 campaign, and Rice’s confrontation with Pickford highlighted the frustration within the team. Despite the loss, England showed promise and will look to build on their performance in future tournaments.
In other news, Rio Ferdinand was left with egg on his face after saying Spain had suffered a “psychological blow” before the game. The former England defender had predicted that Spain would struggle to recover from their semifinal win over Italy, but they proved him wrong with their dominant performance against England.
Prince William was also spotted watching the game, and his amusing insult to Gareth Southgate was uncovered by a lip reader. The Prince had joked that Southgate’s bald head made him look like a “polished egg.”
Despite the defeat, England fans were proud of their team’s performance and showed their support on social media. The team will look to regroup and prepare for their next tournament, with the hope of bringing home a major trophy in the future.