Criticism gave us ‘fire in our bellies’: Rice

Criticism of England’s form before the World Cup gave players “fire in our bellies” in their emphatic opening win over Iran, says midfielder Declan Rice. Gareth Southgate’s side travelled to Qatar on the back of a six-match winless run and relegation from the Nations League. But they strolled to a 6-2 victory in their World Cup opener on Monday. “There were doubts about us before the tournament. We wanted to prove a lot of people wrong,” said Rice.