Declan Rice wants to walk in the footsteps of Bobby Moore – all the way up to the Royal Box at Wembley.
The West Ham midfielder gets regular reminders that he plays for the club that helped England win the World Cup.
Photographs of Hammers greats such as Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters adorn the walls of the club’s academy training ground in Romford.
And with the Three Lions set to enjoy home advantage in next summer’s Euros – just as they did in ’66 – the 20-year-old gave a hint of the confidence that Gareth Southgate has instilled in his talented young squad.
“Sometimes I have a little laugh and say to myself ‘Euro 2020... let’s bring it home’,” said Rice with a smile.
“Obviously Bobby won the World Cup, but you never know. Maybe I can be the next one from West Ham to help England win something.
“Whenever I go to the academy, there are a lot of proud people because I play for England.
“I am just the latest one. There are pictures of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters – Trevor Brooking too.
“You notice how Bobby Moore, in particular, was such a big player for West Ham and England. Maybe I can be like that.”
England carried the West Ham stamp under Alf Ramsey.
But 53 years later, it is another London club fast becoming the cradle of the national team.
Rice’s football education started at Chelsea when he was just eight years old – at an academy that has also produced Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori.
It came as a huge shock when he was released at 14, prompting him to rescue his career on the opposite side of London from his Kingston roots.
“Mason, in particular, is a really good friend,” added Rice.
“If you look at Euro 2020, we could have three group games at home, as well as the semi-final and final.
“By then we are all going to be more experienced, better players.
“That buzz, that thrill of being in a big tournament, that will get to all of us.
“We will want to go out there, perform at the highest level, and hopefully win something for England again – like they did in 1966.”
