1. Declan Rice was born on 14 January 1999 and is an English professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Arsenal and the England national team.
34 Facts About Declan Rice
1. 2.
Eligible to play for England or the Republic of Ireland, Declan Rice represented the Republic of Ireland internationally at both youth and senior levels prior to 2019.
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Declan Rice subsequently changed his national allegiance and made himself available for selection by England.
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Declan Rice made his England debut in 2019 and has represented the country at UEFA Euro 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and Euro 2024.
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Declan Rice was born on 14 January 1999 in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, where he was raised.
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Declan Rice joined the academy of Chelsea in 2006, as a seven-year-old.
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Declan Rice won the Premier League Cup in 2016 with the under-21s and the Premier League 2 Division 2 in 2020 with the under-23s.
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On 16 December 2015, two years after joining West Ham United at youth level, Declan Rice signed his first professional contract with the club.
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Declan Rice received his first call-up to the West Ham senior squad for the games against Sunderland and Everton in April 2017, after impressing in the under-23 team.
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On 28 December 2018, Declan Rice signed a new contract until 2024 with the option of an additional year.
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Declan Rice 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.
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Declan Rice was named Hammer of the Year for the first time in 2020.
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On 9 May 2022, Declan Rice was named as Hammer of the Year for a second time.
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Declan Rice made the most interceptions of all Premier League players.
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Declan Rice played 245 games for West Ham, scoring 15 goals.
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Declan Rice is one of only three West Ham captains, along with Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds, to have captained the club to a major trophy.
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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 Declan Rice had made it clear he wanted to move on.
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On 15 July 2023, Declan Rice signed for Premier League club Arsenal on a long-term contract.
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Declan Rice was announced as a nominee for The Best FIFA Men's Player based on his performances for both London clubs and the national team.
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On 19 March 2017, Declan Rice was named Republic of Ireland U17 player of the year.
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On 23 May 2017, only days after his Premier League debut, Declan Rice was named in the Republic of Ireland squad to play friendlies against Mexico and Uruguay and a World Cup qualifier at home to Austria.
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In December 2018, Declan Rice met with new Ireland manager Mick McCarthy and his assistant, Robbie Keane.
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McCarthy said that Declan Rice was a potential future captain of Ireland and that he would build the team around Declan Rice should he decide to play for the country.
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On 13 February 2019, Declan Rice pledged his future to England.
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In September 2019, Declan Rice said that he had received online death threats after switching allegiance.
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Declan Rice was the first player to play for both countries since Jack Reynolds in the 1890s.
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Declan Rice was named in the England squad for UEFA Euro 2020.
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Declan Rice played in all seven games for England at Euro 2020 where they finished runner-up in the final to Italy.
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Declan Rice was included in the England squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
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Declan Rice plays predominantly as a defensive midfielder and is known for his athleticism and tackling ability.
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Declan Rice has been praised in the media for his passing ability.
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Declan Rice has been a close friend of Mason Mount since childhood from when they played together at Chelsea's academy.
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Declan Rice's cousin, Finley Munroe, is a professional footballer for Aston Villa.
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In March 2019, Declan Rice apologised for pro-Irish Republican Army comments he made on social media in 2015.