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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Malik Ouzia and Dan Kilpatrick

Declan Rice issues West Ham rallying cry as Vladimir Coufal aims to emulate legends Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst

West Ham's players want to go down in Hammers history and become icons in Prague tonight.

Declan Rice will lead out West Ham in the Europa Conference League Final against Fiorentina and has told his team-mates they can "create a legacy and be remembered for ever".

West Ham are bidding to win their first European trophy since Bobby Moore lifted the Cup Winners' Cup at Wembley in 1965.

In what is set to be his last West Ham appearance, Rice can become the first Hammers captain to lift a trophy since Billy Bonds in 1980.

Club legend Mark Noble has told the players to "savour every minute", while Rice has spoken about wanting to cement his place in West Ham folklore.

Arsenal are preparing to make a formal approach for Rice after tonight's final, and the England midfielder wants to leave with a winners' medal hanging around his neck.

Rice said: "It is a unique opportunity that we've got, that we really want to take.

"Now it's a final, anything can happen. We'll do everything we can to do the job. It would be my biggest achievement I've had in football so far, 100 per cent. It would be for a lot of us.

"This will be the biggest match that the club has had in so long, so it's going to be an honour to be part of and hopefully we can create some history for the fans to cheer about.

"There is a chance to create a legacy where every player and the manager will be remembered for ever."

David Moyes has never won a major trophy in his 26-year managerial career and has described tonight's game at the Eden Arena as "the biggest moment of my career".

Hero Hammer: Bobby Moore in 1965

Right-back Vladimir Coufal says the players can join greats such as Moore, Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst in West Ham history books by emulating their European success 58 years ago.

"Amazing names, big history and, hopefully, we will be next," said Coufal, who along with Czech team-mate Tomas Soucek is targeting glory at the home of his former club, Slavia Prague.

"We can be West Ham legends or written in West Ham history. It is something really amazing but still there is one problem: we have to win. It is going to be a very special game and a very special night. If we win, 100 buckets of Czech beers are not going to be enough. But it is very early to speak about celebrations."

Soucek said: "West Ham has a great history, but we can make it even better. After many years, to win a trophy would be an honour for all of us. The season has been up and down. This game can make the season an unbelievable one if we lift the trophy. We really, really want to do it."

West Ham sporting director Noble last night issued a final rallying cry to the players in Prague, saying: "Finals, generally, are only enjoyable and memorable if you are on the winning side.

"And make no mistake, we have not come to Prague just for the fun of it. We are here to win.

"We are determined, focused and have prepared fantastically well to be in the best possible condition and mindset going into the game. The spirit in the camp is magnificent, and all of the lads are so desperately determined to bring the trophy home to east London.

"This is our opportunity to show the world what a unique and special club this is. Whatever happens on the pitch, let's make sure we come back to London with pride: pride in our performance, pride in our support and pride in how we have all represented our club. We have all waited so long for this moment. Let's savour every minute."

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