Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Declan Rice

Discover the career path of Declan Rice, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Declan Rice is an English professional footballer renowned for his skills as a defensive midfielder. He currently plays for Arsenal in the Premier League and represents the England national team. Rice is highly regarded for his passing accuracy, exceptional stamina, adept ball-carrying abilities, and strong tackling skills, solidifying his reputation as one of the top midfielders globally.

Sections (2)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1965: First Major European Trophy since 1965

On 8 June 2023, Rice captained West Ham to their first major European trophy since 1965 after a 2–1 win against Fiorentina in the final a day prior.

December 2015: Signed First Professional Contract

In December 2015, Declan Rice signed his first professional contract with West Ham United, two years after joining at youth level.

April 2017: First Call-Up to Senior Squad

In April 2017, Declan Rice received his first call-up to the West Ham senior squad for games against Sunderland and Everton.

May 2017: Named in Republic of Ireland Squad

In May 2017, Declan Rice was named in the Republic of Ireland squad to play friendlies against Mexico and Uruguay and a World Cup qualifier against Austria.

August 2017: First-Team Debut

On 19 August 2017, Declan Rice made his first-team debut for West Ham United in a 3–2 defeat at Southampton.

2017: Became Key Player at West Ham United

By 2017, Declan Rice had established himself as a key first-team player for West Ham United after being released from Chelsea's academy.

March 2018: Senior Debut for Republic of Ireland

On 23 March 2018, Declan Rice made his senior debut for the Republic of Ireland in a 1–0 defeat to Turkey.

December 2018: 50th Appearance and New Contract

In December 2018, Declan Rice made his 50th appearance for West Ham and signed a new contract until 2024 with an option for an additional year.

January 2019: First Goal for West Ham

On 12 January 2019, Declan Rice scored his first goal for West Ham in a 1–0 win against Arsenal and was named man of the match.

February 2019: Pledged Future to England

On 13 February 2019, Declan Rice pledged his future to the England national team.

March 2019: First Start for England

In March 2019, England manager Gareth Southgate handed Declan Rice his first start for the national side during a 5–1 victory over Montenegro.

December 2019: First Time Captaining West Ham

In December 2019, Declan Rice captained West Ham for the first time in a 2–1 home loss against Leicester City at age 20.

2019: England Debut

In 2019, Declan Rice made his debut for the England national team after switching his national allegiance.

July 2020: Premier League Goal Against Watford

On 17 July 2020, Declan Rice scored his first Premier League goal of the season with a strike against Watford in a 3–1 win.

2020: UEFA Euro 2020

Declan Rice was named in the England squad for UEFA Euro 2020, where they finished runner-up in the final to Italy.

2020: Played every minute of West Ham's league games.

In the 2019-2020 season, Rice played every minute of West Ham's 38 league games.

February 2021: Goal Against Sheffield United

On 15 February 2021, Declan Rice scored his first goal of the season with a penalty against Sheffield United in a 3–0 win.

September 2021: European Debut and Goal

On 16 September 2021, Declan Rice made his European debut and scored his first European goal in a 2–0 victory against Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League.

2021: Named in the 2021-22 UEFA Europa League Team of the Year

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.

May 2022: Named Hammer of the Year and West Ham Captain

In May 2022, Declan Rice was named Hammer of the Year for a second time and was appointed as the captain of West Ham United following Mark Noble's retirement.

October 2022: Goal Against Southampton

In October 2022, Declan Rice scored a goal from 22 yards to secure a 1–1 draw for West Ham against Southampton.

2022: FIFA World Cup

Declan Rice was included in the England squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and started all five matches, with England reaching the quarter-finals.

2022: Succeeded as Club Captain

In 2022, Declan Rice took over from Mark Noble as the captain of West Ham United.

April 2023: Goal Against Gent

In April 2023, Declan Rice scored a goal against Gent in the UEFA Europa Conference League, carrying the ball for over 50 metres.

June 2023: Europa Conference League Player of the Season

On 8 June 2023, Declan Rice was named the Europa Conference League's player of the season by UEFA, after West Ham's victory against Fiorentina.

July 2023: Left West Ham to Join Arsenal

In July 2023, Declan Rice left West Ham, joining Arsenal after playing 245 games and scoring 15 goals for West Ham.

July 2023: Signed by Arsenal

In July 2023, Declan Rice was signed by Arsenal for a club record fee of £100 million after making 245 appearances for West Ham.

2023: Arsenal Debut and First Goal

In 2023, Declan Rice made his Arsenal debut on August 6 against Manchester City in the FA Community Shield, and scored his first goal for Arsenal on September 3 against Manchester United.

March 2024: Rice to captain England against Belgium

In March 2024, ahead of his 50th cap for the senior side, it was announced that Declan Rice would captain England for the first time, against Belgium.

December 2024: Goal and Assist against Crystal Palace

On 21 December 2024, Declan Rice, coming off the bench against Crystal Palace, scored and provided an assist to Gabriel Martinelli in a 5–1 away victory.

2024: UEFA Euro 2024

In 2024, Declan Rice represented England at UEFA Euro 2024, finishing as runner-up.

2024: Future Payment Structure

In July 2023, the structure of Declan Rice's transfer to Arsenal included West Ham receiving £50m immediately and a further £50m in the summer of 2024.