| Age | 27 years |
| Date of birth | 14 January 1999 |
| Height, weight | 188 cm, 84 kg |
| Born | Kingston upon Thames, London, England |
| Citizenship | England (also eligible to play for Ireland) |
| Position | central / defensive midfielder |
| Club | Arsenal (Arsenal FC) |
| Number | 41 |
| In the team since | 15 July 2023 |
| Contract until | 30 June 2028 |
| Contract extension | option to extend for another 1 year |
| Market value | ≈120 million € |
| Eye color | brown |
| Preferred foot | right |
| Agent | Family |
Declan Rice - biography
Declan Rice was born on 14 January 1999 in Kingston upon Thames (London). He began his football journey at the Chelsea academy, joining at the age of seven, but was released by the club when he was 14 years old. In 2013, after a trial, he joined the academy of West Ham United, where thanks to perseverance and hard work he progressed rapidly.
In 2015 Rice signed his first professional contract with West Ham, and in May 2017 he made his Premier League debut. By 2018 he had already become a key first-team player, demonstrating mature performances as a defensive midfielder. In the 2018/19 season he scored his first Premier League goal - the winning goal in a match against Arsenal. In 2020 he was named the club’s Player of the Season (Hammer of the Year) for the first time and later repeated this achievement two more times.
In 2022 Rice replaced Mark Noble as captain of West Ham. Under his leadership the team won the 2022/23 UEFA Europa Conference League - the club’s first European trophy in decades. Rice was named the best player of the tournament. He made 245 appearances for West Ham and became one of the few captains in the club’s history to win an international trophy.
In July 2023 Rice moved to Arsenal for a club-record £100 million (potentially rising to £105 million with bonuses), becoming one of the most expensive English footballers in history. In his debut season he quickly secured a place in the starting lineup. In September 2023 he scored the winning goal against Manchester United, and in February 2024 he scored against his former club.
The 2024/25 season became one of the brightest in his career. In April 2025 he scored two direct free kicks in the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, becoming the first player in the tournament’s history to score two free-kick goals in a playoff match. At the end of the season he was named Arsenal’s Player of the Season, included in the Champions League Team of the Season and nominated for the Premier League Player of the Year award.
In the 2025/26 season he continued to remain a key figure for the team, regularly contributing with goals and consistent performances in midfield.
At the international level Rice initially represented the Republic of Ireland, making his senior debut in 2018. In 2019 he switched his sporting nationality and became a player for the England national team. Since then he has represented England at Euro 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2024, finishing as a European Championship runner-up twice.
Declan Rice - personal life
Declan Rice grew up in a family with Irish roots: his paternal grandparents are originally from County Cork. He has two older brothers.
He has been friends with Mason Mount since childhood - they met at the Chelsea academy and maintained a close relationship throughout their professional careers.
In 2022 Rice became a father - he and his long-time partner Lauren Fryer welcomed a son. In honor of his son he got a tattoo with his name.
In 2024 Lauren faced online abuse, after which she removed her social media posts. Rice publicly supported her, saying: “She is the love of my life, and I don’t need an upgrade.”
In 2019 Rice issued a public apology for old comments on social media related to the IRA that he had posted as a teenager.
Declan Rice - interesting facts
- He was released from the Chelsea academy at the age of 14 but later became one of the most expensive English players in history.
- The first West Ham captain since Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds to lead the club to a major European trophy.
- Won the UEFA Europa Conference League in the 2022/23 season and was named the best player of the tournament.
- Became the first footballer in Champions League history to score two direct free kicks in a playoff match.
- Represented both Ireland and England at senior level - the first such case since the 19th century.
- Started his career as a classic defensive midfielder but later evolved into a more versatile box-to-box player who regularly joins attacks.
Declan Rice - statistics
| Club | League | Season | League Apps | Goals | Cup Apps | Goals | European Apps | Goals | Other Apps | Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Ham United | Premier League | 2016/17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017/18 | 26 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | ||
| 2018/19 | 34 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 2 | ||
| 2019/20 | 38 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 1 | ||
| 2020/21 | 32 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 2 | ||
| 2021/22 | 36 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 5 | ||
| 2022/23 | 37 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 5 | ||
| Total West Ham | 204 | 10 | 20 | 1 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 245 | 15 | ||
| Arsenal | Premier League | 2023/24 | 38 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 7 |
| 2024/25 | 35 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 9 | ||
| 2025/26 | 29 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 4 | ||
| Total Arsenal | 102 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 29 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 143 | 20 | ||
| Career total | 299 | 23 | 31 | 2 | 50 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 381 | 33 |
Career summary
- Matches: 381
- Goals: 33
Declan Rice - controversies
Declan Rice is considered one of the most disciplined and non-controversial footballers of his generation, so there have been virtually no major scandals in his career.
The only notable discussion arose at the beginning of his international career: Rice represented youth teams and even played three friendly matches for the Republic of Ireland national team, but in 2019 he decided to switch his sporting nationality and start playing for England.
This decision caused dissatisfaction among some Irish fans and media, who accused him of “betrayal.” The footballer himself explained that the decision was difficult and related to his desire to represent the country where he was born and raised.
After this episode, no serious scandals or disciplinary issues have been recorded in his career.
