Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice will be England's vice-captain for the World Cup, Thomas Tuchel confirmed after Saturday's friendly win over New Zealand. "I think I would say Declan is my vice-captain," Tuchel said, adding that he had told Rice during the October camp when Harry Kane was absent. Rice, 27, has earned 72 caps and just helped Arsenal win the Premier League for the first time since 2003-04 and reach the Champions League final, which they lost on penalties to Paris St-Germain last weekend.
Yet despite Rice's rise and the squad being among the favourites, only a fifth of England fans are backing the Three Lions to lift the trophy, according to new data from Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral. The figure places England behind Portugal (57% domestic bets), France (29%), Austria (25%) and Germany (24%). "England fans are passionate, but years of near misses have made them think beyond their own country," said Tom Ritzema, Entain's group trading director. North of the border, just 8% of Scottish bets are on England to win, while 1% of English betters back Scotland.
“Declan Rice named England vice-captain for World Cup, but only 20% of England fans back them to win, betting data shows.”
For John, a 90-year-old fan writing in the New Statesman, the lack of confidence echoes the optimism of 1966. He attended the final that year, paying £5 for a seat, and left Wembley after England's 4-2 victory over West Germany "convinced we would win it again". Now, 60 years later, he reflects on England having "a German manager" — who could have imagined that? — and a Premier League that is "just 31 per cent English". "If only it had been 60 years of Hurst," he writes. "It won't happen again in my lifetime. Well, I am 90."
Tuchel's side have one more friendly against Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday and a behind-closed-doors game with Miami FC before travelling to Kansas City. England begin their World Cup campaign on 17 June against Croatia, also facing Ghana and Panama in Group L. The question now is whether the team can prove the punters wrong — and end 60 years of hurt.