Declan Rice is putting Hollywood A Lister James Corden in the shade with his Euros heroics.
Chat show host Corden is big pals with Rice through the West Ham connection but has told the England midfielder that Gareth Southgate’s men are the real stars this summer.
Rice said: “Since the Scotland game I’ve been speaking to James Corden quite a bit on Facetime after the game. He was at the Germany game with Mark Noble and they were buzzing. He’s a ledge, a top top guy.
“James Corden actually asked me ‘do you understand what you’re doing?’ And I said it’s not really hit me yet, even when the tournament finishes it might not hit me until my career finishes but there is an end objective and if we can do it, wow.
“We don’t want to get too ahead of ourselves, of course not, but we know what is ahead of us and hopefully achieve a massive dream.”
Rice, who has been linked with a move away from West Ham. revealed he is also itching to play at the highest level ahead of the biggest game of his life.
“I don’t have the opportunity to play in some of the big games like the lads at City, Chelsea, United, so for me it is my first semi-final and it’s unbelievably special,” said Rice.
“To get to the final will be a mixture of excitement, a little bit of nerves but also that fire in your stomach to do something special for the country because we are seeing what’s going on.
“Seeing the fans go mental is making us happy and we want to keep on going out there and doing it for them. It’s two games left, we get our break after that, but two games to give everything mentally, physically, everything we can to win this tournament.”
Rice also said the England squad are determined to pay their own special tribute to stricken Denmark star Christian Eriksen ahead of the Wembley game but also they are determined to make their own history.
Rice, talking on the England podcast, said: “Denmark are a really top side and a lot of people who watch them now that. What happened with Christian Eriksen is so sad for the whole of football and they have that extra motivation and fire in their stomach to perform for him.
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“I hope we can do something special for him before the game because lots of the players have played with him and I’ve played against him. The game itself is a chance to go beyond the 96 team that got to the semis and get to our first final 66.
“We know the opportunity ahead and I’ve never seen a group of lads so focused and ready and want to really go and do that for the nation.”
