Declan Rice (born 14 January 1999) is an English professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
who plays as a
central midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...
or
defensive midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...
for
Premier League
The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
club
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
and the
England national team Team England usually refers to the name under which athletes representing Commonwealth Games England compete.
England team or Team England may refer to:
*Commonwealth Games England
*England national football team
*England cricket team
*England nat ...
. Known for his stamina, ball carrying ability and tackling,
he is regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world.
Rice began his professional career at
West Ham United
West Ham United Football Club is a professional Association football, football club based in Stratford, London, Stratford, East London, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English f ...
, having been released by
Chelsea's academy, and established himself as a key first-team player by 2017. In 2022, he succeeded
Mark Noble
Mark James Noble (born 8 May 1987) is an English former professional Association football, footballer who played as a midfielder. He is currently the sporting director of Premier League club West Ham United F.C., West Ham United. A fan of the c ...
as
club captain
The captain of a football/soccer team, sometimes known as the skipper, is a team member chosen to be the on-pitch leader of the team; they are often one of the older or more experienced members of the squad, or a player that can heavily influ ...
, and led the club to a
UEFA Europa Conference League
The UEFA Conference League (UECL), usually known simply as the Conference League, is an annual association football, football competition organised since 2021 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European foot ...
title the following year, as well as being named the competition's Player of the Season. After making 245 appearances for West Ham, Rice was signed by Arsenal in July 2023 for a club record fee of £100 million, making him the
joint-most-expensive English player in history.
Eligible to play for England or the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of about 5.4 million. ...
, Rice represented the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of about 5.4 million. ...
internationally at both youth and senior levels prior to 2019. He subsequently changed his national allegiance and made himself available for selection by England. Rice made his England debut in 2019 and has represented the country at
UEFA Euro 2020
The 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2020 or simply Euro 2020, was the 16th UEFA European Championship, the Anniversary#Latin-derived numerical names, quadrennial international men's association footb ...
, the
2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup was the 22nd FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022, after the country was awarded the hosting ri ...
, and
Euro 2024
The 2024 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2024 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2024) or simply Euro 2024, was the 17th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international football championship organised by U ...
, finishing runner-up in both European Championship editions he participated in.
Early life and career
Declan Rice was born on 14 January 1999 in
Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames, colloquially known as Kingston, is a town in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, south-west London, England. It is situated on the River Thames, south-west of Charing Cross. It is an ancient market town, notable as ...
, Greater London, where he was raised. His paternal grandparents were from
Douglas
Douglas may refer to:
People
* Douglas (given name)
* Douglas (surname)
Animals
* Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking
* Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil ...
, County Cork, in Ireland. He joined the
academy
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...
of
Chelsea in 2006, as a seven-year-old.
In 2013, after his release at age 14, he joined the
academy
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...
of
West Ham United
West Ham United Football Club is a professional Association football, football club based in Stratford, London, Stratford, East London, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English f ...
after a trial period in the spring.
West Ham United Academy coach
Trevor Bumstead
Trevor Bumstead is an English Association football coach. He holds the UEFA A Licence.
Coaching career Southend United
Bumstead was born in Essex. He began coaching Southend United youth at their centre of excellence in 2002 and was responsibl ...
stated it was Rice's determination and persistence that helped him break through the ranks at West Ham. Rice won the
Premier League Cup in
2016
2016 was designated as:
* International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly.
* International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
with the under-21s and the
Premier League 2 Division 2 in
2020
The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
with the under-23s.
Club career
West Ham United
2015–2020
On 16 December 2015, two years after joining West Ham United at youth level, Rice signed his first professional contract with the club. Rice received his first call-up to the West Ham senior squad for the games against
Sunderland
Sunderland () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most p ...
and
Everton in April 2017, after impressing in the under-23 team. He made his senior debut against
Burnley
Burnley () is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a 2021 population of 78,266. It is north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River B ...
on the last day of the
2016–17 Premier League
The 2016–17 Premier League was the 25th season of the Premier League, the top English professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992, and the 118th season of top-flight English football overall. The season ...
season, coming on as a 91st-minute substitute for
Edimilson Fernandes in a 2–1 away win, five days after captaining the under-23s to promotion with a 2–1 win away to
Newcastle United
Newcastle United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Since th ...
. His
first-team debut came on 19 August 2017 in a 3–2 defeat at
Southampton
Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
. In April 2018, Rice was named as runner-up for the 2017–18
Hammer of the Year award behind
Marko Arnautović
Marko Arnautović ( sr-cyr, Марко Арнаутовић; born 19 April 1989) is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Inter Milan and the Austria national team.
Arnautović began his career in his nati ...
.
On 22 December 2018, he made his 50th appearance for West Ham, becoming the first player to do so while still a teenager since
Michael Carrick
Michael Carrick (born 28 July 1981) is an English professional Association football, football coach and former player who was most recently the head coach of club Middlesbrough F.C., Middlesbrough. He is considered as one of the best midfield ...
. On 28 December 2018, Rice signed a new contract until 2024 with the option of an additional year. On 12 January 2019, Rice scored his first goal for West Ham and was named
man of the match
In team sport, a player of the match award (also known as man of the match or woman of the match) is often given to the most outstanding player in a particular match. This can be a player from either team, although the player is generally chose ...
in a 1–0 win against
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
, in West Ham's 50th Premier League game at the
London Stadium
London Stadium (formerly and also known as the Olympic Stadium and the Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park) is a multi-purpose outdoor stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in the Stratford, London, Stratford district of London. It is loc ...
. On 20 April, Rice was named on the shortlist for the
PFA Young Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year (often called the PFA Young Player of the Year, or simply the Young Player of the Year) is an annual award given to the young player who is adjudged to have been the best of the ...
award, which was eventually awarded to Rice's England teammate
Raheem Sterling
Raheem Shaquille Sterling (born 8 December 1994) is a professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Winger (association football), winger for club Chelsea F.C., Chelsea.
Sterling began his career at Queens Park Rangers F.C., Que ...
. At the end of the 2018–19 season, he was named the Players' Player of the Year and won the award for Individual Performance of the Season, for his match winning game against Arsenal, and was named the Young Hammer of the Year for the third-consecutive season.
On 28 December 2019, Rice captained West Ham for the first time, at age 20,
in a 2–1 home loss against
Leicester City
Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...
.
He scored his first and only Premier League goal of the season on 17 July 2020, with an outside-the-box strike against
Watford
Watford () is a town and non-metropolitan district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of Central London, on the banks of the River Colne, Hertfordshire, River Colne.
Initially a smal ...
, in a 3–1 win. In the 2019–20 season, Rice played every minute of West Ham's 38 league games. He was in the Premier League's top five players for both tackles and interceptions, leading West Ham players in both categories and making more passes than any other teammate. He was named
Hammer of the Year for the first time in 2020.
2020–2023

On 15 February 2021, Rice scored his first goal of the season when he converted a penalty and put the team in the lead against
Sheffield United
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The club competes in the Championship, the second tier of English football. They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history ...
in a home league win that ended 3–0. In April 2021, having played in all of West Ham's games so far in the
2020–21 season, Rice was ruled out for four weeks with a knee injury picked up on international duty with England.
On 16 September 2021, Rice made his European debut and scored his debut European goal in a 2–0 away victory over
Dinamo Zagreb
Građanski nogometni klub Dinamo Zagreb (), commonly referred to as simply Dinamo Zagreb (), is a Croatian professional football club based in Zagreb. Dinamo play their home matches at Stadion Maksimir. They are the most successful club in Cr ...
in the
Europa League
The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...
.
On 9 May 2022, Rice was named as Hammer of the Year for a second time. Following West Ham's Europa League campaign, which saw them reach the semi-final, Rice was named in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa League Team of the Year alongside teammate
Craig Dawson
Craig Dawson (born 6 May 1990) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
He has previously played for Radcliffe Borough, Bolton Wanderers, Rochdale, West Bromwich Albion, Watford and We ...
. Following the retirement of
Mark Noble
Mark James Noble (born 8 May 1987) is an English former professional Association football, footballer who played as a midfielder. He is currently the sporting director of Premier League club West Ham United F.C., West Ham United. A fan of the c ...
in May 2022, Rice was named as captain of West Ham.
On 16 October 2022, Rice opened his goalscoring account for the season, scoring a curling effort from to secure West Ham a point in a 1–1 draw against Southampton. On 20 April 2023, Rice scored West Ham's third in a 4–1 win in the
UEFA Europa Conference League
The UEFA Conference League (UECL), usually known simply as the Conference League, is an annual association football, football competition organised since 2021 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European foot ...
against Belgian side
Gent
Gent is a shortened form of the word gentleman. It may also refer to:
* Ghent ( Dutch: Gent), a Belgian city
** K.A.A. Gent, a football club from Ghent
** K.R.C. Gent, a football club from Ghent
** Gent RFC, a rugby club in Ghent
** .gent, ...
, carrying the ball for more than before finishing past Gent goalkeeper
Davy Roef
Davy Roef (born 6 February 1994) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Gent.
Club career
Early career
Roef spent time with several clubs in his youth, such as Beerschot A.C., KFCO Beerschot Wilrijk, and Anderlecht.
...
, resulting in a goal labelled "perhaps the standout strike of Rice's career" by ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
''.
In May 2023, he was again named Hammer of the Year, for the
2022–23 season.
On 8 June 2023, Rice was named as the Europa Conference League's player of the season by
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; ; ) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs football, futsal and beach soccer, beach football in Europe and the List of transcontinental countries#A ...
as Rice captained West Ham to their first major European trophy since 1965 after a 2–1 win against
Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as Fiorentina (), is an Italian professional Association football, football List of football clubs in Italy, club based in Florence, Tuscany. The original team was founded by a merger in August 1926, while ...
in the
final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
a day prior.
During the 2022–23 season, Rice won possession more than any other Premier League player. He also made the most interceptions of all Premier League players.
Rice left West Ham in July 2023, joining
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
. He played 245 games for West Ham, scoring 15 goals. He is one of only three West Ham captains, along with
Bobby Moore
Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore (12 April 1941 – 24 February 1993) was an English professional footballer. He captained West Ham United for more than ten years, and was the captain of the England national team that won the 1966 FIFA ...
and
Billy Bonds
William Arthur Bonds (born 17 September 1946) is a former professional footballer and manager, who is most often associated with West Ham United with whom he spent 27 years as player and manager. He played 799 first-team games for West Ham in a ...
, to have captained the club to a major trophy. West Ham chairman
David Sullivan said that the club did not want to sell the player, stating that they wished to build the team around him, but that Rice had made it clear he wanted to move on. Rice said of the transfer: "Ultimately, though, it has only ever been about my ambition to play at the very highest level of the game."
Arsenal
2023–24
On 15 July 2023, Rice signed for Premier League club Arsenal on a long-term contract. It was reported that the transfer fee was a club-record initial £100m, potentially rising by £5m, in add-ons, making him the
most expensive English player, equalling the previous record held by
Jack Grealish
Jack Peter Grealish (born 10 September 1995) is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for club Manchester City and the England national team.
Grealish joined Aston Villa at the age of six, and made ...
. The structure of the transfer was given as West Ham receiving £50m immediately and a further £50m in the summer of 2024. They will also receive £1m every time Arsenal qualify for a place in the
Champions League during his time at the club and £1m if he plays 60 per cent of games in a season, with those payments capped at £5m.
Rice made his Arsenal debut on 6 August against
Manchester City
Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
in the
2023 FA Community Shield
The 2023 FA Community Shield was the List of FA Community Shield matches, 101st FA Community Shield, an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions. It took place at Wembley St ...
, which Arsenal won 4–1 on penalties after a 1–1 draw. On 12 August, Rice started in Arsenal's opening match of the
2023–24 Premier League
The 2023–24 Premier League was the 32nd season of the Premier League and the 125th season of English football overall. The season began on 11 August 2023, and concluded on 19 May 2024.
Manchester City, the defending champions, won their f ...
season, a 2–1 home win over
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest Football Club is a professional association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football.
Founde ...
. On 3 September, he scored his first goal for Arsenal, in stoppage time to grant his team a 2–1 lead against
Manchester United
Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional association football, football club based in Old Trafford (area), Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, Engl ...
in a match which ended in a 3–1 win.
Rice was announced as a nominee for
The Best FIFA Men's Player
The Best FIFA Men's Player is an association football award presented annually by the sport's governing body, FIFA, since 2016, to honour the player deemed to have performed the best over the previous calendar year. The award was formerly known ...
based on his performances for both London clubs and the national team. On 11 February, Rice scored his first goal against his former club, West Ham United, in a 6–0 victory at London Stadium, which was West Ham's worst home defeat in the league since 1963 against
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is a professional football club based in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, which competes in the , the second level of the English football league system. They have played home matches at Ewood Park since 1890. Th ...
.
2024–25
On 21 December 2024, Rice came off the bench against
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace may refer to:
Places Canada
* Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick
* Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario
* Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition buildin ...
, scoring and providing an assist to teammate
Gabriel Martinelli
Gabriel Teodoro Martinelli Silva (born 18 June 2001) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward or left winger for club Arsenal and the Brazil national team.
Martinelli began his senior career playing for Ituano and sig ...
in the 5–1 away rout of the ''Eagles''. On 22 January 2025, Rice scored his first
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by List of top-division football clubs in UEFA countries, top-divisio ...
goal in 3–0 victory over
Dinamo Zagreb
Građanski nogometni klub Dinamo Zagreb (), commonly referred to as simply Dinamo Zagreb (), is a Croatian professional football club based in Zagreb. Dinamo play their home matches at Stadion Maksimir. They are the most successful club in Cr ...
. On 8 April, he netted two direct
free kick
A free kick is an action used in several codes of football to restart play with the kicking of a ball into the field of play.
Association football
In association football, the free kick is a method of restarting the game following an offe ...
goals in a 3–0 home win over reigning champions
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional Football club (association football), football club based in Madrid. The club competes in La Liga, th ...
in the first leg of the
Champions League quarter-finals, becoming the first player ever to score two free kicks in a Champions League knockout phase match. On 18 May, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over Newcastle United, securing Arsenal's runner-up finish in the Premier League and qualification for the UEFA Champions League in the following season. Following another successful individual campaign with Arsenal, Rice was voted as the
Arsenal Player of the Season. He was also selected in the
UEFA Champions League Team of the Season by UEFA's Technical Observer Group, and nominated for the
Premier League Player of the Season
The Premier League Player of the Season is an annual association football award presented to players in England, which recognises the most outstanding player in the Premier League each season. The recipient is chosen by a panel assembled by t ...
award.
On 20 June 2025, it was announced that Rice was one of six nominees for the
PFA Players' Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Men's Players' Player of the Year (often called the PFA Men's Players' Player of the Year, the Players' Player of the Year, or simply the Player of the Year) is an annual award given to the player who is ...
.
International career
Republic of Ireland
Although born in London, Rice was eligible to play for Ireland as his paternal grandparents are from
Cork
"Cork" or "CORK" may refer to:
Materials
* Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product
** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container
*** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine
Places Ireland
* ...
. On 19 March 2017, Rice was named
Republic of Ireland U17 player of the year.
On 23 May 2017, only days after his
Premier League
The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
debut, Rice was named in the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of about 5.4 million. ...
squad to play friendlies against
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
and
Uruguay
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
and a World Cup qualifier at home to
Austria
Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
. He made his senior debut on 23 March 2018 in a 1–0 defeat to
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
.
In August 2018, Rice was omitted from the squad to play
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
by manager
Martin O'Neill
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, (born 1 March 1952) is a Northern Irish professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Association football, player who played as a midfielder. After a brief early career in the Irish Leag ...
, who said that Rice was considering switching to play for
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
after being approached by them. By November 2018, having been omitted from three squads selected by O'Neill, Rice said he was no closer in deciding whether to play for Ireland or England. In December 2018, Rice met with new Ireland manager
Mick McCarthy
Michael Joseph McCarthy (born 7 February 1959) is a professional Manager (association football), football manager, pundit and former Association football, footballer. He was most recently the head coach of Blackpool F.C., Blackpool.
McCarthy b ...
and his assistant,
Robbie Keane
Robert David Keane (born 8 July 1980) is an Irish professional football coach and former player who played as a striker and is currently the head coach of Ferencváros. Keane served as captain of the Republic of Ireland from March 2006 until h ...
. McCarthy said that Rice was a potential future captain of Ireland and that he would build the team around Rice should he decide to play for the country.
England
On 13 February 2019, Rice pledged his future to England. On 5 March, his change of allegiance was confirmed by
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (), more commonly known by its acronym FIFA ( ), is the international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal. It was founded on 21 May 1904 to o ...
. On 13 March, he was called up by England for their forthcoming
UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
The UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying tournament was a football competition that was played from March 2019 to November 2020 to determine the 24 UEFA member men's national teams that advanced to the UEFA Euro 2020 final tournament, intended to be playe ...
matches against the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
and
Montenegro
, image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg
, coa_size = 80
, national_motto =
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map = Europe-Mont ...
. He made his debut on 22 March as a 63rd-minute substitute against the Czech Republic at
Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium, currently branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE Limited, EE for sponsorship reasons, is an association football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Sta ...
.
On 25 March 2019, England manager
Gareth Southgate
Sir Gareth Southgate (born 3 September 1970) is an English professional Association football, football manager and player, who played as a Defender (association football), defender and midfielder.
A Crystal Palace F.C., Crystal Palace Crystal ...
handed Rice his first start for the national side during a 5–1 victory over Montenegro. Following Rice's successful
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...
, he was handed a place in the
England squad for the
2019 UEFA Nations League Finals
The 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals was the final tournament of the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League, 2018–19 edition of the UEFA Nations League, the inaugural season of the international Association football, football competition involving the me ...
. In September 2019, Rice said that he had received online
death threat
A death threat is a threat, often made anonymously, by one person or a group of people to kill another person or group of people. These threats are often designed to intimidate victims in order to manipulate their behaviour, in which case a d ...
s after switching allegiance. He was the first player to play for both countries since
Jack Reynolds in the 1890s. Rice was named in the
England squad for
UEFA Euro 2020
The 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2020 or simply Euro 2020, was the 16th UEFA European Championship, the Anniversary#Latin-derived numerical names, quadrennial international men's association footb ...
. Rice played in all seven games for England at Euro 2020 where they finished runner-up in the final to
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
.
Rice was included in the England
squad
In military terminology, a squad is among the smallest of Military organization, military organizations and is led by a non-commissioned officer. NATO and United States, U.S. doctrine define a squad as an organization "larger than a fireteam, ...
for the
2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup was the 22nd FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022, after the country was awarded the hosting ri ...
.
He started all five matches as England reached the quarter-finals, losing 2–1 to
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
.
Ahead of his 50th cap for the senior side, it was announced that Rice would captain England for the first time, against
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
in March 2024. On 6 June, he was named in England's 26-man squad for
UEFA Euro 2024
The 2024 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2024 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2024) or simply Euro 2024, was the 17th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international Association football, football champ ...
. He started in central midfield in the team's opening match against
Serbia
, image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg
, national_motto =
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
, playing the full 90 minutes as England won 1–0 to go top of
Group C
Group C was a category of sports car racing introduced by the FIA in 1982 and continuing until 1993, with ''Group A'' for Touring car racing, touring cars and ''Group B'' for Grand tourer, GTs.
It was designed to replace both Group 5 (motorspor ...
.
Style of play
Rice plays predominantly as a defensive midfielder and is known for his athleticism and tackling ability. In more recent times, he has begun to build a reputation as a more complete midfielder due to his ball carrying skills and ability to score goals from range, which has seen him be deployed in a more offensive role on occasion as a
number eight.
He has also been praised in the media for his passing ability.
Personal life
Rice has been a close friend of
Mason Mount
Mason Tony Mount (born 10 January 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Manchester United.
Mount began his senior club career with Chelsea, and joined Vitesse and Derby County on consecutive loans bet ...
since childhood from when they played together at Chelsea's academy. His cousin,
Finley Munroe, is also a professional footballer for
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Football Club (commonly referred to as simply Villa) is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club, founded in 1874, compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The team have p ...
.
In March 2019, Rice apologised for pro-
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various Resistance movement, resistance organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dominantly Catholic and dedicated to anti-imperiali ...
comments he made on social media in 2015.
In August 2022, Rice confirmed the birth of his first child, a son, with long-term girlfriend, Lauren Fryer.
Career statistics
Club
International
:''England score listed first, score column indicates score after each Rice goal''
Honours
West Ham United
*
UEFA Europa Conference League
The UEFA Conference League (UECL), usually known simply as the Conference League, is an annual association football, football competition organised since 2021 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European foot ...
:
2022–23
The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen ...
Arsenal
*
FA Community Shield
The Football Association Community Shield (formerly the Charity Shield) is Football in England, English football's annual match contested at Wembley Stadium between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA ...
:
2023
Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...
England
*
UEFA European Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship, less formally the European Championship and informally the Euro or Euros, is the primary association football tournament organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The competition ...
runner-up:
2020
The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
,
2024
The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...
*
UEFA Nations League
The UEFA Nations League is an international European football competition played by the senior men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA, the sport's European governing body. The competition was devised to minimise friendlies a ...
third place:
2018–19
Individual
*
West Ham United
West Ham United Football Club is a professional Association football, football club based in Stratford, London, Stratford, East London, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English f ...
Young Player of the Year:
2016–17,
2017–18,
2018–19
*
Republic of Ireland U17 Player of the Year: 2016
*
FAI Young International Player of the Year: 2018
*
West Ham United
West Ham United Football Club is a professional Association football, football club based in Stratford, London, Stratford, East London, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English f ...
Player of the Year:
2019–20,
2021–22,
2022–23
The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen ...
*
London Football Premier League Young Player of the Year: 2019
*
UEFA Europa League
The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...
Team of the Season:
2021–22
*
London Football Premier League Player of the Year: 2022,
2024
*
UEFA Conference League
The UEFA Conference League (UECL), usually known simply as the Conference League, is an annual football competition organised since 2021 by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. It is the thir ...
Team of the Season:
2022–23
The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen ...
*
UEFA Conference League
The UEFA Conference League (UECL), usually known simply as the Conference League, is an annual football competition organised since 2021 by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. It is the thir ...
Player of the Season:
2022–23
The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen ...
*
PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year (often called the PFA Team of the Year, or simply the Team of the Year) is an annual award given to a set of 55 footballers across the top four tiers of men's Football in England, En ...
:
2023–24 Premier League
The 2023–24 Premier League was the 32nd season of the Premier League and the 125th season of English football overall. The season began on 11 August 2023, and concluded on 19 May 2024.
Manchester City, the defending champions, won their f ...
*
EA Sports FC
''EA Sports FC'' is a football video game franchise developed by EA Vancouver and EA Romania and published by EA Sports. It serves as the direct successor to their former ''FIFA'' series, which was discontinued following the termination of EA ...
Premier League Team of the Season: 2024–25
*
Premier League
The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
Fan Team of the Season: 2024–25
*
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by List of top-division football clubs in UEFA countries, top-divisio ...
Team of the Season:
2024–25
* ''The Athletic'' European Men's Team of the Season: 2024–25
* ''The Athletic'' Premier League Team of the Season: 2023–24
,2024–25
*
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
Player of the Season: 2024–25
See also
*
*
References
External links
Profileat the Arsenal F.C. website
Profileat the Football Association website
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rice, Declan
1999 births
Living people
People from Kingston upon Thames
Footballers from the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
English men's footballers
Republic of Ireland men's association footballers
Men's association football midfielders
Chelsea F.C. players
West Ham United F.C. players
Arsenal F.C. players
Premier League players
UEFA Conference League–winning players
Republic of Ireland men's youth international footballers
Republic of Ireland men's under-21 international footballers
Republic of Ireland men's international footballers
England men's international footballers
UEFA Euro 2020 players
2022 FIFA World Cup players
UEFA Euro 2024 players
Dual internationalists (men's football)
English people of Irish descent
21st-century English sportsmen
21st-century Irish sportsmen