Lewis Skelly, 18, opened the scoring in England’s 2-0 World Cup qualifier win over Albania, latching on to a pin-point through ball from Jude Bellingham.
The Arsenal youngster is the youngest member of Thomas Tuchel’s first squad as England manager, and will doubtless have impressed the German.
Rice, 26, couldn’t help but wax lyrical about his club and now international teammate, telling reporters after the game: “Lewis-Skelly is just fearless. He’s only 18. I try to look after him as best I can. I knew he was going to play like that.
“The confidence he has in himself, the way he’s trained all week and what I’ve seen at the club. This is only the start for him.”
The left-back will have another chance to lay down a claim for his place in Tuchel’s 2026 World Cup squad as England face Latvia on Monday.