Declan Rice becomes immortal after stunning goals against Real Madrid

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·9 avril 2025

Declan Rice becomes immortal after stunning goals against Real Madrid

Just when you think nothing could have topped last night, Declan Rice’s two free kicks, you then listen to his post-match interview.

Within moments after the final whistle, he and Mikel Merino were interviewed on the pitch, still buzzing with adrenaline. About 20 minutes later, Rice accepted an invitation to join the panel, and that’s when the enormity of what he had just achieved began to sink in. Much like Thierry Henry’s iconic winner against Real Madrid nearly two decades ago, Rice became immortal at the Emirates. Whatever happens from here, his set pieces will live on forever.

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His decision to disregard his captain and set-piece coach, who both instructed him to cross the ball rather than shoot, will be showcased in every Arsenal montage for years to come. Not only does he owe thanks to Saka for winning the free kicks, but it was also his England teammate who, at the last moment, encouraged Rice to take the shot if he felt confident about it.

Given that the 26-year-old has previously confided in pundits about his self-doubt, that encouragement could be the difference between qualifying or not in a tie that was always going to be decided by the smallest of details and moments.

Rice moved to North London for nights like this, and of course, for the £105 million transfer fee, he’s expected to make an impact in the biggest matches. Yet, he has won over the fanbase by treating the privilege of wearing the shirt with the respect it deserves.

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

One of my favourite moments of last season was his reaction to the 60,000 Gooners serenading him after he scored against Manchester United. His smile was that of a young man who had grown up understanding the size of the club and what it meant to now be on this stage.

For too long, Arsenal fans had grown accustomed to our best talents leaving, or the captaincy being handed to them as a means to keep them around longer than they wished. It’s refreshing to see someone so respectful of our badge.

After the disappointment of losing the Euro 2024 final and recovering from a foot injury, it took a while for him to get back to full mental and physical fitness. However, since January, I’ve noticed Rice taking on more responsibility, particularly in making runs into the box. With our attacking limitations, he took it upon himself to step up and help find a solution. That’s the sign of a leader.

Even as a Hammer, it was predicted that as Rice developed, he would evolve into a box-to-box midfielder and add goals to his game. Incredibly, Rice had never scored from a dead-ball situation in his career until he did so twice in 12 minutes.

Even before that, he was driving forward, timing his tackles, and playing like a future captain. It’s too early to worry about how we’ll approach the second leg, but one thing is certain: if every Gooner adopts Declan’s attitude, complacency won’t be an issue.

Since the stadium was built, these are the European nights that it was crying out for. Moments that will always last, igniting the imagination, and capturing hearts. Declan Rice dared to chase his dreams when so many said he was chasing illusions.

Declan Rice became famous last night. He might have thought the UEFA Conference would be his biggest European moment—and it still is—but the difference is, at West Ham, greats become heroes, but at Arsenal, heroes become legends. That’s only just beginning to sink in now.

Dan Smith

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