Slovakia manager addresses Declan Rice confrontation

Arsenal’s Declan Rice was involved in an altercation with the Slovakia manager after England’s Euro 2024 last-16 win on Sunday.

Though England were exceedingly lucky to progress from Sunday’s Euro 2024 round-of-16 match against Slovakia, with an injury-time overhead kick saving them from elimination, Declan Rice largely played very well.

The midfielder completed 90% of his passes including seven of seven long balls, he won six of seven ground duels, making two interceptions and four tackles, and he was unlucky to hit the post with an excellent effort late on.

Yet after the game, the media attention focused on a confrontation between Rice and Slovakia manager Francesco Calzona.

The incident seemed to come out of nowhere, with TV cameras catching the Slovakia boss pushing Rice, with the Arsenal man reacting angrily and shouting before another Slovakia staff member came and pushed him away.

Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale pulled Rice away from the fracas, and that was it. In his post-match press conference, Calzona gave his version of events.

“Rice was supposed to go to the referees and say goodbye and then leave,” Calzona said.

“I had to speak to the referees and he was carrying on, continuing to speak. Then he apologised and it all ended there.

“I have no bad words to say because we played a great game against an opponent that is a candidate to win it all.”

Calzona reportedly wanted to speak to the referee about time-wasting from England on the night, and it seems like his frustration bubbled over in that flashpoint with Rice.

Rice didn’t mention the incident in his post-match interviews, so it seems it’s already behind both of them now.