Fans hail ‘humble’ Declan Rice for his brilliant interview with Arsenal legend Thierry Henry after scoring TWO world-class free-kicks in Champions League win over Real Madrid
Declan Rice left Arsenal fans lost for words with his staggering performance against Real Madrid, but even the man himself revealed he couldn’t quite believe what he had done after the game.
Rice scored two sensational free-kicks against Real Madrid, before Mikel Merino’s cherry on top sealed a 3-0 win against the Champions League holders in a stunning night for Arsenal.
Few would have predicted the result, and despite some cagey moments at times, the Gunners came through the first leg with a sizeable margin to defend in the second meeting in Madrid next week.
Rice, though, was the star of a show featuring an embarrassment of household names, controlling the game for Arsenal and running the midfield up against his England team-mate Jude Bellingham.
Naturally, he was still in shock, unable to fully process quite what he’d done after the game, and in an insightful interview with club legend Thierry Henry, revealed it was the best moment in his career so far.
‘I can’t describe it, I don’t think it’s going to hit me what I’ve done tonight,’ he told CBS Sports Golazo. ‘Two free-kicks in a quarter-final against Real Madrid at home, it’s so special. I’m so happy, probably the best moment in my career for sure.
Declan Rice put in a stunning display as Arsenal beat Real Madrid 3-0 in the Champions League
The midfielder scored two sensational free-kicks to make the breakthrough in the first leg
Rice then told Thierry Henry that he still couldn’t quite believe what he had done on the night
‘In these big games I always try to step up, and I thought: “Go out there and have no fear – what’ve you got to lose? It’s a game of football against Real Madrid, if you have fear good things aren’t going to happen!”
‘We really believed as a team that we could win tonight. Every time we had the ball we tried to be a threat, I tried to run with it as much as I can, constantly trying to be a threat, probably should have had two.
‘I went out there and I was fearless and I was ready like you said, to prove a point, and we did that.’
Arsenal defied the odds to blow Real Madrid off the field at the Emirates, recording 11 shots on target in the match, the joint-highest tally any side has ever managed against Los Blancos in the knockouts.
And as you’d expect, social media was awash with praise and tributes for Arsenal’s midfield maestro following his magnificent display.
‘One of the best things about Declan Rice is that he’s so down to earth and relatable,’ wrote one X user. ‘Scored two worldies against Real Madrid and he still comes across so humble in interviews. The kind of player and leader anyone would want in their team.’
Another added: ‘Declan was simply in the zone tonight… he could do no wrong.’
One fan dubbed Rice ‘special’, while another hailed his interview with CBS as ‘brilliant’, before a simple yet touching message to Rice from a fifth fan.
Rice and his long-term girlfriend, Lauren Fryer, have a young child together having met when the Arsenal star was only 17
Fans were quick to take to social media in praise of Rice’s heroics on the pitch at the Emirates
‘Much love Rice you’ve made us proud,’ they wrote.
Player of the Match Rice has now written his name into the history books, becoming the first ever player to score two direct free-kicks in a Champions League knockout game.
In fact, he is now only the fifth player to do so in any Champions League match, joining the likes of Rivaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar in a truly exclusive club. Curiously, though, it very nearly didn’t happen.
‘Before this was happening our set piece coach [Nicolas Jover], we were planning to cross it, he wanted us to reverse cross it,’ Rice then admitted to Henry.
‘I was stood with Bukayo [Saka] and I said it didn’t feel right to cross it here, and I looked at the wall and then at Courtois and saw the space outside of the wall. Bukayo said: “If you feel it, take it” and I said: “You know what, I’m going for it” and if you don’t take the risks, you don’t score. As soon as it left my foot I knew it had a chance, and its one of the historic moments.
‘This part of my game gets questioned, my ability with ball-striking and scoring goals. I know I can produce these moments, it’s just about doing it more and more. As soon as it left my foot I just knew and I had the confidence from the first one.
‘When I practice free-kicks, when I make the contact and look up [to see where the ball has gone] quickly it isn’t the strike I want but when I look down on the ball, focus on the ball and knowing the spot I want to put it, I tend to have more consistency with it.
‘Obviously that’s a one in I don’t know moment that I’ve just done, I’ve been practicing it and it’s come off. To score two, to be honest with you, it won’t hit me what I’ve done today.’
Rice revealed a conversation with Bukayo Saka saw him go against the set-piece coach’s wish
The Gunners now have a foot in the semi-finals but will need to remain wary in the second leg
Jamie Carragher raised the topic of goals, and how as a player that cost Arsenal north of £100million there is a certain expectation that perhaps was not levelled at the great midfielders of yesteryear.
Rice had never scored a free-kick before, and to date has 14 goals and 18 assists for the club in 94 appearances.
‘As I’ve got older, when I was younger it played on my mind a bit, but as I’ve got older I’ve realised that none of that matters. It’s about me, going out there and playing consistently well and I’ve just tried to do that over and over again.
‘I’m always going to have my critics and my doubters, that’s football. But as long as I’m producing on the pitch, playing well and doing well for this club that’s the main thing.’
Rice is a much-loved figure in both the Arsenal and England camps, and endeared himself to fans after he and his childhood sweetheart endured a trolling ordeal aimed at his partner Lauren Fryer, who he met when he was 17. The couple have a young child, Jude.
