Rhyce Ramsden played a key role as the England Amputee team reached the semi-finals of the Euros.

Rhyce, from Tonge Moor, enjoyed a dream start to the tournament as he netted four goals in the opener against Georgia.

The 23-year-old also scored against the Netherlands as England topped the group and was on target as hosts France were brushed aside in the quarter-final.

The team came up just short against Spain in the semi and were beaten by Poland in the third-place play-off. Turkey were crowned champions after overcoming the Spaniards in the final.

Despite his age, Rhyce already has plenty of experience on the international stage and is always honoured to represent his country.

“It’s amazing,” he told The Bolton News. “This is my sixth or seventh major tournament and I am only 23, so it is pretty surreal.

“I had never scored a hat trick for my country so to get four in the first game was amazing. I would say I got a perfect hat trick with a header, but I have only got a left foot!

“Playing in a European Championship is a proud moment and all my family in Tonge Moor – my mum and dad especially – support me. It is great to have a lot of backing back home.”

The tournaments are now slightly different for Rhyce, who started out as the youngest member of the squad and is now taking up more of a leadership role.

“It has definitely changed for me. Even though I am only 23, I am one of the more experienced players in the group so I am part of the leadership team,” he explained.

“We have got a lot of young lads, it is a young team and some of them are playing in a major tournament for the first time.

“I have more of a leadership role going into games, whether it is a voice on the pitch or even off it – making sure everyone is happy in their down time and trying to keep standards high.

“At my first tournament, I was just 16 years old and the youngest in the team. I remember how the others treated me and that is how I try to treat the young players now.”

An avid Wanderers fan, Rhyce regularly attends games and was a special guest at the Toughsheet Community Stadium for the pre-season friendly against Everton last summer.

“I managed to get to Wembley (for the League One play-off final), although it wasn’t the result we wanted,” he said.

“I got to as many home games as I could. Luckily, most of my England weekend were on away games so it wasn’t a problem.

“The club welcomed me to the pre-season game against Everton because I play for them at club level.

“Last year, we won the Nations League and I won the FA Cup with Everton, so we brought both trophies to the stadium to show them off. Bolton Wanderers have been great with me.”

Rhyce has also got to do some interesting things off the pitch. Last year, he was invited to film a video with famous streamer IShowSpeed, who was visiting the UK from the United States.

He gifted a Bolton shirt to the online personality and when the picture was shared on social media, many younger members of the fan base couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

“I checked my phone on my break and saw he had messaged me out of the blue on Instagram,” Rhyce recalled.

“I thought at first it was a prank but it was his legit account. We had a couple of phone calls and met up to do a video.

“He plays the game FIFA and uses the Bolton Wanderers badge so I knew he would recognise it. When I gave him the shirt, he knew straight away and has worn it during live streams since then.

“It is great that he knows properly who Bolton Wanderers are and I gave him the kit to remember us.”