England midfielder Declan Rice has heaped praise on teammate Jack Grealish and revealed that interim head coach Lee Carsley has given the squad a simple but effective message: "play with freedom."

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"You can see we're enjoying ourselves out there," Rice told ITV Football. "We’re really relishing our time under Lee Carsley, along with coaches Ashley Cole and Joleon Lescott. The whole squad is fully buying into what they want us to do."

Reflecting on England’s recent matches, Rice acknowledged the challenges the team has faced. "There are going to be bumps along the way, like the other night. That’s football—it’s a sport full of highs and lows. Nothing is ever going to be perfect, but the key is that Carsley has a clear way of playing, and he wants us to stick to it. I felt we moved the ball well and played through Finland at times."