Declan Rice issues England rallying cry ahead of Euro 2024 and reveals the surprise nutritional secret to Arsenal’s success, as he becomes cover star for Men’s Health

Declan Rice has claimed that it’s England’s ‘time’ to win a major trophy ahead of next month’s European Championships in a new interview.

The Arsenal star has been in blistering form since his £105million move to the Emirates from West Ham last summer, and is considered one of Gareth Southgate’s lynchpins as England look to challenge in Germany.

Southgate’s side are heavily favoured to go all the way at the tournament after coming heart-breakingly close in 2021 when they reached the final against Italy at Wembley.

But Rice, speaking to Men’s Health UK, suggested that the opportunity the side has three years later is an even more impressive one.

‘With the team we’ve got, the players we have and everyone in form playing well, you need to back yourself to win,’ Rice said. ‘I feel like it is our chance; it’s time. What excuses can you give?

Declan Rice donned an array of eyecatching outfits as he posed for the cover of Men’s Health

The Arsenal midfielder talked up England’s chances of triumphing at this year’s Euros

Rice has become one of the stalwarts of Gareth Southgate’s young and hungry England side

‘We have a great manager, great staff behind the scenes and they are a good group to go away with. We can do something really special this summer.’

Rice’s interview sees the midfielder make the magazine’s cover, and as he posed for a raft of photographs, the 25-year-old looked entirely at ease.

His attitude towards his big-money price tag is similar, with Rice claiming that he had ‘full confidence’ that he would prove successful under Mikel Arteta after booking his transfer from east London.

‘I got bought for a big amount of money,’ Rice continued. ‘I knew I was a good player. I had the full confidence that I could make an impact.

‘People have stopped talking about the price. Of course, it was a lot of money. It’s up to the fans to say if I justify it.’

Rice considers confidence one of his biggest assets, adding: ‘You can do all the gym work in the world, lift all the weights, do all the legwork, but you have to be mentally really strong. Confidence is so important.

‘To be consistently seven or eight out of 10 every week is the big thing for me. Mentality is so important. The (Arsenal) manager (Arteta) has talked to us about how our brains work. It’s easy to go into your shell if you make a bad pass, or if you give the ball away and the opposition score. But I’ve learned not to dwell on mistakes.’

The 25-year-old’s retro photoshoot also saw him discuss the weight of his £105m price tag

The midfielder has become a vital part of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side and enjoyed a standout debut season

Rice also revealed one nutritional secret fuelling Arsenal’s impressive Premier League title tilt

For the magazine’s Scottish edition, Brighton’s midfielder Billy Gilmour posed for the cover

The interview also saw Rice let slip one of Arsenal’s greatest nutritional secrets: the club’s pancakes, which the midfielder claims a number of players rely on for energy.

‘I have four pancakes before a game. Covered in syrup or honey. I swear to God, it’s the best thing…’ Rice noted.

‘When I joined the club, I could see the (Arsenal) players eating them and thought to myself, “What is going on here?” But honestly, it’s been a game changer.

‘I don’t understand the science behind it, what’s in them or anything like that, but it gives me such a high energy boost. I think that’s why I’m able to rattle around the pitch so much.

‘If we’re playing at 5.30pm, I’ll sometimes have eight pancakes in a day. I’ll have some at breakfast and I’ll have some more at 3.30pm before we play.’

It remains to be seen whether nutritional gains will be enough to prove the difference for Arteta’s side on the final day of the season, as their title race with Manchester City reaches its thrilling conclusion.

Pep Guardiola’s players are now in pole position to clinch a record-breaking fourth consecutive Premier League title, but should Man City fail to beat West Ham and Arsenal win against Everton, the Gunners could yet lift their first league trophy in 20 years.

Rice will look to oversee his side’s victory over Everton on Sunday – and hope former team West Ham does him a favour versus Man City

Southgate will reveal his 26-man squad to travel to Germany next month on Tuesday

Members of Arsenal’s history-making Invincibles side will be at the Emirates to commemorate their landmark, and will Arteta’s men to replicate their title-winning feat on home soil.

Speaking after their penultimate win against Manchester United on Sunday, Arteta said that they were looking to create ‘the most beautiful day’ for their supporters.

‘It is so nice to be in the (title) race and every week you have to play at your best,’ Rice’s team-mate Kai Havertz added.

‘When you do it, it feels even better. We have one game and we need the whole club behind us – anything is possible.’

The full interview is available now for Men’s Health members on the MH app or in the magazine on sale from 21st May