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    How many Ireland caps does Declan Rice have?

    DECLAN RICE had to be convinced to switch sides from Ireland to England – and now he will captain the Three Lions TONIGHT against Belgium.The decision was made after a series of chats with England boss Gareth Southgate. Declan Rice once we played for IrelandCredit: Richard Pelham / The SunSouthgate said: “Well, first we had to convince him that it would be a good decision.“I think that’s being borne out by the tournaments we’ve been in, and the huge matches he’s played in.“If I think back to some of the early big games which, almost every match was the biggest match of his life, now he’s won a European trophy, he’s now involved in big matches with his club.”And now on his 50th appearance, Rice will lead the Three Lions out in a thrilling Belgium friendly.READ MORE IN EURO 2024But what some fans don’t know is that Rice has represented Ireland several times before the switch.How many Ireland caps does Declan Rice have?Declan Rice has won three Ireland caps across friendlies in 2018. Ironically, Rice’s last match for Ireland came against Belgium before making the England switch three days later.Declan Rice played youth level matches for IrelandCredit: Sportsfile – SubscriptionRice is set to skipper the Three Lions in absence of Harry Kane on Tuesday night marking his 50th appearance in English colours.Most read in Euro 2024The Arsenal ace also played all of his youth-level matches for Ireland.What’s been said?Rice said: “When he (Southgate) told me last night I was going to be captain, I gave him a hug, shook his hand and said thank you very much.”50 caps, it is a pinch me moment, it will be an honour.”On my 50th cap, to walk out at Wembley in front of my family and friends, it is a great honour, I’m a bit speechless.”As for Southgate, he said: “I think that’s being borne out by the tournaments we’ve been in, and the huge matches he’s played in.“If I think back to some of the early big games which, almost every match was the biggest match of his life, now he’s won a European trophy, he’s now involved in big matches with his club.”When is England vs Belgium?
    England vs Belgium will take place on Tuesday, March 26.
    Kick off will be at 7.45pm GMT.
    Wembley Stadium will host. More

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    Who could Wales face if they qualify for Euro 2024?

    WITH Euro 2024 around the corner – Wales will be desperate to be on the plane to Germany.The Red Dragons take on Poland in a huge Euro 2024 play-off final with a Euro spot up for grabs.Wales beat Finland to progress to the Euro 2024 Play-Off FinalCredit: APWales will be have the wind in their sails following an emphatic win against Finland in Thursday’s semi.While Poland go into this match confident after thrashing ten-man Estonia 5-1.But fans want to know what group Rob Page’s men will enter if they go through.What Euro 2024 group will Wales go in?Wales will go into Group D with Euro 2024 favourites, France should they qualify.READ MORE IN EURO 2024Group D:
    France
    Netherlands
    Austria
    When is the Euros 2024?The UEFA Euros 2024 will kick of on Friday, June 14 in Munich and ends in Berlin for the final Sunday, July 14. What are the other Euros 2024 groups in full?Group A:Most read in Football
    Germany
    Scotland
    Hungary
    Switzerland
    Group B:
    Spain
    Croatia
    Italy
    Albania
    Group C:
    Slovenia
    Denmark
    Serbia
    England
    England are expected to top their groupCredit: GettyGroup D:
    Play-off Winner Path A
    Netherlands
    Austria
    France
    Group E:
    Belgium
    Slovakia
    Romania
    Play-Off Winner Path B
    Group F:READ MORE SUN STORIES
    Turkey
    Play-Off Winner Path C
    Portugal
    Czech Republic More

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    BBC make shock change to England vs Belgium broadcast which could leave millions of fans unable to follow friendly

    BBC have relegated England in a move that could impact the way thousands of supporters tune in to tonight’s game.The Three Lions will face Belgium at Wembley in their latest international friendly ahead of Euro 2024.England have been relegated by the BBC but it’s good news for Welsh fansCredit: GettyGareth Southgate’s men suffered a 1-0 defeat to Brazil on Saturday and he is expected to make several changes to his side later.However, there has now been a huge change for those hoping to listen in to the action.The Telegraph states that the match will no longer be broadcast live on BBC Radio 5 Live.The Beeb have instead opted to provide commentary on Wales’ crunch play-off clash with Poland.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLThe winner of that will join Southgate’s side in Germany at the Euros.The Three Lions have now been switched to their digital station Radio 5 Sports Extra.The match is also being broadcast live on talkSPORT.And fans can also tune in to watch it live on television courtesy of Channel 4.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERThe move comes after the closure of Radio 4 long wave.That will mean that people will not be able to listen to Test Match Special unless they have access to either a digital radio or the internet.Gareth Southgate presents Kobbie Mainoo, Anthony Gordon and Ezri Konsa with England caps after their debuts v BrazilThat decision was criticised by many after being confirmed by the BBC.And it was called “dreadful” by ex-England captain Sir Geoffrey Boycott.Meanwhile, Southgate is believed to be set to start Kobbie Mainoo for the first time later.The midfielder, 18, has burst on the scene at Manchester United this term.He initially missed out on the senior squad this month, but after a number of injuries, he was called up late.Mainoo then came off the bench against Brazil to win his first cap and impressed with his cameo.READ MORE SUN STORIESNow he could start in the middle alongside Declan Rice, who will captain the team for the first time.Lewis Dunk and Ezri Konsa are both hoping to get the nod in defence while Ivan Toney is likely to lead the attack. More

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    France fans divided over size of cock on new Euro 2024 shirt as Nike finds itself at centre of fresh kit controversy

    FRANCE fans are up in arms over a massive cock – after Nike unveiled another controversial kit.The sportswear giants were slammed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, former England stars including Peter Shilton, and fans after changing the colours of the St George’s Cross on the new Three Lions strip.The new France kit has a large cockerel on itCredit: NikeThe size of the badge is not popular with everyoneCredit: NikeFrance will wear the shirt at Euro 2024Credit: NikeBut some supporters across the Channel are also unhappy because Nike have increased the size of the traditional cockerel emblem on the chest of the replica kit they have launched ahead of Euro 2024.One fan summed up the feelings of many by describing the oversided chicken design as “totally disproportionate, uncalled-for even”.But others are sticking up for the bigger cock and are even proud of it.A supporter said: “We are often considered arrogant, so we might as well embrace it whole-heartedly”.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnother said the image was “galvanising”.Nike’s overall design harks back to the France kits of the 1970s, with an electric blue shirt.And at least they haven’t messed with the traditional colours of the French flag.The shirt collar is red, white and blue, to represent the Tricolore – no sign of the purple added to the England kit.Most read in Euro 2024BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERBiggest football kit fails
    Fiorentina 1992-1993: Kit was pulled after fans noticed a swastika in the pattern around the chest and shoulders.
    Man Utd 1996-1997: Sir Alex Ferguson blames grey kit for a loss to Southampton, claiming the players couldn’t see their team-mates as they blended in with the crowd.
    Cameroon 2004: Kit had no sleeves and was a vest. Banned by Fifa so designers Puma added black sleeves in the hope it wouldn’t stand out,
    Cardiff 2012-2013: Controversial owner Vincent Tan changed the club’s home shirt from blue to red as it was a lucky colour in his hometown.
    Huddersfield 2019-20: Publicity stunt gone wrong. Town play a friendly match with Paddy Power sponsor written in huge font in a sash across the strip. Broke an FA rule over the size of sponsors and Huddersfield were fined.

    France, the 2022 World Cup finalists, will go to Germany among the favourites to win Euro 2024.But after the row over the kit, their supporters will be even keener to avoid a repeat of the cock-up at Euro 2020.Dean Scoggins travels to FC Koln in Germany to find Europe’s best Away DayFrance led their last 16 clash with Switzerland 3-1 with less than 10 minutes to go, but conceded twice, including a 90th minute equaliser, before losing on penalties.France’s previous kit (left) and the new strip for 2024 (right)Nike have been criticised for changing the colour of the St George’s CrossCredit: PA More

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    Seven England stars who could still switch international allegiance before Euro 2024 including Kobbie Mainoo

    GARETH SOUTHGATE could be handed a major England headache ahead of Euro 2024… and not just when trimming down his squad.The Three Lions boss will be trusted with the difficult task of picking 23 players for the European Championship finals in Germany as England bid to win their first major senior men’s title since 1966.Gareth Southgate could face a massive England selection headache in the summerCredit: RexA number of young stars including Kobbie Mainoo are eligible to switch allegiances before Euro 2024Credit: RexCole Palmer remains eligible to switch to Saint Kitts and Nevis despite playing twice for EnglandCredit: GettyHowever, a number of rising stars could cause a ruckus by switching international allegiance before the summer rolls around.Fifa rules on international representation, which were updated in 2020, say players can switch nationalities as long as they have played no more than three senior matches before the age of 21.There also needs to be a period of three years in between a player’s last appearance for the nation they want to switch from, with none of those games coming in World Cup or Continental finals such as the Euros.Players under the age of 21 are free to switch if they hold the nationality of the country they wish to play for.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLEven if they did not so previously, a player can switch if they were under the age of 21 when they featured for the country they want to change from.England have lost players such as former Arsenal ace Folarin Balogun to switches of allegiance, with the former England Under-21 ace now representing the USA.Rising Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo is one such star who could switch from England with no issues.The 18-year-old – who is in line for his first England start against Belgium – is eligible to play for Ghana despite playing for the Three Lions in Saturday’s friendly defeat to Brazil.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKEREngland Under-21 stars Anthony Gordon and Curtis Jones could switch allegiances tooCredit: GettyFellow debutant Anthony Gordon, 23, could move to a Euro 2024 rival and sensationally line up against England if he were to switch to Scotland before the tournament.Tartan Army boss Steve Clarke is said to be keeping tabs on three stars, with Gordon joined by Newcastle team-mate Elliot Anderson, 21, and 18-year-old Leeds United prodigy Archie Gray.Biggest football kit fails after controversy over new England shirtAlthough Anderson was called up to the seniors by Clarke last year, having switched between Scotland and England youth teams, but was forced to pull out due to injury.Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer, 21, has two Three Lions appearances to his name and is thus another star with a looming threat switch due to his eligibility to play for Saint Kitts and Nevis through his father. England Under-21 regulars Morgan Gibbs-White, 24, and Curtis Jones, 23, are also free to change countries, with respective switches to Jamaica and Nigeria on the cards.Of course, given England’s somewhat limited options in midfield it would be easy to imagine pathways for the pair opening up in the near future.Morgan Gibbs-White is eligible to switch to JamaicaCredit: GettyLeeds youngster Archie Gray is being eyed by Steve ClarkeCredit: GettyEngland youth star Elliot Anderson has been called up by Scotland but had to pull out due to injuryCredit: PA More

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    Euro 2024 CONFIRMED groups: England paired with Denmark, Germany play Scotland while Wales could face France

    FOOTBALL fans are gearing up for a sensational summer as the Euro 2024 gets underway in June – and the groups have been confirmed!England will meet Denmark once again, three years on after Harry Kane’s 105th-minute strike sent the Danes home in a thrilling 2021 semi-final.England are one of the favourites to win the entire tournamentCredit: GettySpain have the chance to get their revenge on Italy in Group B following their penalty shoot-out exit during the last Euros.While Wales will be put in Group D with favorites France should they beat Poland in their play-off qualifier.What are the confirmed Euro 2024 groups?Here are the six groups for the Euro 2024 in Germany:Group ARead more on Euro 2024
    Germany
    Scotland
    Hungary
    Switzerland
    Group B
    Spain
    Croatia
    Italy
    Albania
    Group CMost read in Football
    Slovenia
    Denmark
    Serbia
    England
    England will be expected to progress as group winnersCredit: GettyGroup D
    Wales/Poland
    Netherlands
    Austria
    France
    Group E
    Belgium
    Slovakia
    Romania
    Ukraine/Iceland
    Group F
    Turkey
    Georgia/Greece
    Portugal
    Czech Republic
    When is the Euro 2024?Euro 2024 will take place on June 14, 2024.There will be 51 games and the opening match between Germany and Scotland at the Allianz Arena in Munich.Euro 2024 will last for one month, with the final set to be held on Sunday, July 14 at the 70,000-capacity Olympiastadion in Berlin.READ MORE SUN STORIESGermany will host and matches are set to be played at ten different venues:
    Berlin – Olympiastadion Berlin
    Cologne – Cologne Stadium (RheinEnergieSTADION)
    Dortmund – BVB Stadion Dortmund (Signal Iduna Park)
    Dusseldorf – Dusseldorf Arena (MERKUR SPIEL-ARENA)
    Frankfurt – Frankfurt Arena (Deutsche Bank Park)
    Gelsenkirchen – Arena AufSchalke (Veltins-Arena)
    Hamburg – Volksparkstadion Hamburg
    Leipzig – Leipzig Stadium (Red Bull Arena)
    Munich – Munich Football Arena (Allianz Arena)
    Stuttgart – Stuttgart Arena (MHPArena) More

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    Play our Euros Bracket Challenge game ahead of this summer’s tournament and compete for iPhone 15 Pro Max

    PLAY Dream Team’s Euros Bracket Challenge ahead of this summer’s mouthwatering international tournament and you could win an iPhone 15 Pro Max.Much like our classic fantasy game and Score Predictor, our new game is also free to play via Dream Team’s app or website.CLICK HERE TO PLAY EUROS BRACKET CHALLENGE NOW – FREE TO PLAY, IPHONE 15 PRO MAX UP FOR GRABS!Play now!Credit: Dream TeamIt couldn’t be easier to play, simply predict the standings for the group stages and knockout fixtures from the round of 16 to the all-important final of Euro 2024.You’ll earn points for accurate predictions and if you rack up more than any other user, you’ll land the iPhone 15 Pro Max* (worth £1,199). You can alter your predictions as many times as you wish from now until the tournament gets underway at 8pm on Friday 14th June so there’s no harm submitting an early first draft and tinkering later.Competing for the top prize is only half the fun, of course.We encourage you to compete in Mini Leagues against your mates, colleagues, family members, or whoever – flexing your football knowledge and claiming bragging rights makes for a satisfying prize in itself.When playing the game, you will first be invited to forecast the group standings.For example, Group A contains Germany, Switzerland, Hungary and Scotland so you would have to put these four teams in the order you think they will finish:
    1st Germany
    2nd Scotland
    3rd Hungary
    4th Switzerland
    You earn five points for each correct prediction and an additional three points if you get the entire group spot on.Using our above example, if Germany finish top of Group A and Switzerland finish bottom but Hungary edge out Scotland to claim second then this set of predictions would earn ten points (five each for Germany and Switzerland being correct).However, if the Tartan Army finish as runners-up behind Germany ahead of Hungary, this set of predictions would be worth a whopping 23 points (five for each of the four correct predictions plus three more for a perfect group).How will the Euros play out this summer?Credit: AFPHere’s a reminder of the six groups as it stands.GROUP A
    Germany
    Switzerland
    Scotland
    Hungary
    GROUP B
    Spain
    Croatia
    Italy
    Albania
    GROUP C
    England
    Slovenia
    Denmark
    Serbia
    GROUP D
    Netherlands
    France
    Austria
    Wales or Poland
    GROUP E
    Belgium
    Slovakia
    Romania
    Ukraine or Iceland
    GROUP F
    Portugal
    Turkey
    Czechia
    Georgia or Greece
    Group C looks particularly difficult to predict with Italy, Spain and Croatia all vying for top spot while Group F has a pleasing nostalgic feel to it.Once you’ve submitted your group stage predictions, you’ll be invited to select the best four of the six third-place finishers as those teams will also make it to the round of 16 alongside the six group winners and six runners-up in Euro 2024.The four best third-place finishers are determined primarily by points, then by goal difference, goals scored, most wins, disciplinary record and finally, if required, European qualifiers overall ranking.Will England succeed or fall short again?Credit: GettyAfter that, it’s time to predict the knockout stages from the round of 16 all the the way to the final.For example, if you back England to finish top of Group C and Turkey to finish third in Group F as one of the four best third-place finishers, then you’re looking at England vs Turkey in the round of 16.Knockout Round scoring:
    Correct round of 16 winner = 2 points
    Correct quarter-final winner = 4 points
    Correct semi-final winner = 8 points
    Correct tournament winner = 16 points
    The essence of the game is simple: the closer you get to accurately predicting how the Euros will play out, the more points you’ll earn.You’ll automatically appear on our overall leaderboard which will ultimately determine the winner of the iPhone 15 Pro Max but don’t forget to set up a Mini League just for you and your mates.Get involved now!CLICK HERE TO PLAY EUROS BRACKET CHALLENGE NOW – FREE TO PLAY, IPHONE 15 PRO MAX UP FOR GRABS!*Top prize paid as cash alternative if won outside UK & IrelandtalkSPORT BET Welcome offer
    Get £30 in free bets when you bet £10 – CLAIM HERE
    18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10 on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 3x £10 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
    Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org More

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    Wales vs Poland – Euro 2024 play-off final: Dragons face last-chance saloon match in Cardiff – stream, TV, team news

    WALES have one last chance to secure a spot in this summer’s Euro 2024 competition – and play-off final opponents Poland stand in their way.This is familiar territory for Rob Page’s side as they travelled down the play-off route to book their place at the World Cup just two years ago.Wales humiliated Finland in their play-off semi-finalCredit: AlamyPoland thrashed EstoniaCredit: RexAnd the Welsh superstars will be confident that they’ll reign superior once again after brushing Finland aside 4-1 in last Thursday’s semi-final.However, Poland go into this match on a high after dismantling 10-man Estonia 5-1 in their last-4 contest.Furthermore, Robert Lewandowski and Co have not failed to reach the finals of a major tournament since 2014 so they’ll be eager to continue that incredible run.When is Wales vs Poland?
    Wales’s Euro 2024 play-off final against Poland will take place on Tuesday, March 26.
    It is scheduled to kick off at 7:45pm GMT.
    Cardiff City Stadium is the allocated arena for this momentous occasion and it can host approximately 33,280 passionate fans.
    Poland ran out 1-0 winners when the sides last met in a 2022 UEFA Nations League match.
    What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed for FREE?
    Wales vs Poland will be broadcast LIVE on Viaplay in the UK.
    Fans can also stream the action for FREE on BBC iPlayer.
    Alternatively, SunSport will have minute-by-minute action of the play-off final.
    What Euro 2024 group will the winners go in?The winners of this clash between Wales and Poland will be place in Group D at the Euro 2024.Group D:
    France
    Netherlands
    Austria
    Most read in Euro 2024What is the team news?Rob Page would have been delighted to escape the semi-final win against Finland with no fresh injury concerns.Captain Tom Lockyer – whose football future remains uncertain after his cardiac arrest on the pitch in December was replaced by Chris Mepham.While Harry Brooks was chosen to join the likes of Harry Wilson and Brennan Johnson in attack.Aaron Ramsey remained an unused substitute despite returning earlier than expected from a calf issue.Elsewhere, Poland gaffer Michal Probierz will be hoping Juventus ace Arkadiusz Milik can shake off his muscle injury after missing out on the Estonia thrashing.What are the odds?
    Wales to qualify 7/4
    Poland to qualify 5/6
    *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes are correct at time of publication More