Declan Rice Defends Kobbie Mainoo as England Falls to Iceland In Friendly

England midfielder Declan Rice has come out in defense of his teammate Kobbie Mainoo, who faced criticism following England's friendly match on Friday

England's national football team suffered a 1-0 defeat in their friendly match against Iceland on Friday night. The match, played at Wembley Stadium, saw Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson score the only goal in the 12th minute.

Despite the loss, midfielder Declan Rice defended his teammate Kobbie Mainoo, who faced criticism for his performance. Rice stated, "Yeah, look we done it in March and it was really positive. I can imagine tonight because we lost some people are saying stuff but that's football these days."

Rice acknowledged the youth of England's midfield options, including himself and Mainoo, and emphasized the importance of learning from every game. He said, "Kobbie's young, I'm young, our midfield options are young. Look, we're going to learn every game and that's the beauty of football."

Mainoo, who has made 11 appearances for Manchester United and scored one goal, has shown promise and potential in his young career.

Rice's defense of his teammate reflects the team's support for Mainoo and acknowledges the importance of learning and growth in the sport.

The defeat to Iceland raises concerns for England's preparation for the Euro 2024 tournament. However, with young players like Rice and Mainoo leading the charge, England will look to regroup and come back stronger in their next match.