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 a professional footballer, primarily playing as a defensive midfielder. He currently plays for Arsenal in the Premier League and represents the England national team. Widely regarded as one of the best midfielders globally, he is recognized for his versatility, stamina, ball-carrying capabilities, and tackling prowess.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1965: First Major European Trophy Since 1965

On 7 June 2023, Rice captained West Ham to their first major European trophy since 1965, after a 2-1 win against Fiorentina in the final.

2006: Joined Chelsea F.C. Academy

In 2006, at the age of seven, Declan Rice joined the Chelsea F.C. Academy.

2013: Joined West Ham United Academy

In 2013, after being released by Chelsea, Declan Rice joined the West Ham United Academy following a trial period.

December 2015: Signed First Professional Contract

In December 2015, Declan Rice signed his first professional contract with West Ham United.

2016: Under-23s Promotion

In 2016, Declan Rice captained the West Ham United under-23s to promotion after they won 2-1 away to Newcastle United.

2016: Won Premier League Cup with Under-21s

In 2016, Declan Rice won the Premier League Cup with West Ham United's under-21 team.

April 2017: First Senior Squad Call-Up

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

On 23 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 in a 3–2 defeat against Southampton.

2017: Established as key player at West Ham

By 2017, Declan Rice had established himself as a key first-team player for West Ham United.

March 2018: Senior Debut for Ireland

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

August 2018: Omitted from Ireland Squad

In August 2018, Declan Rice was omitted from the Republic of Ireland squad to play Wales, as he was considering switching to play for England.

November 2018: Undecided on National Allegiance

By November 2018, Declan Rice stated that he was no closer to deciding whether to play for Ireland or England.

December 2018: Met with Ireland Manager

In December 2018, Declan Rice met with the new Republic of Ireland manager, Mick McCarthy, who envisioned Rice as a potential future captain.

December 2018: 50th West Ham Appearance

On 22 December 2018, Declan Rice made his 50th appearance for West Ham United. On 28 December 2018, Rice signed a new contract with West Ham until 2024, with the option of an additional year.

January 2019: First West Ham Goal

On 12 January 2019, Declan Rice scored his first goal for West Ham in a 1–0 win against Arsenal.

February 2019: Pledged Future to England

On 13 February 2019, Declan Rice pledged his international future to England.

March 2019: First Start for England

On 25 March 2019, Declan Rice made his first start for the England national side during a 5–1 victory over Montenegro.

December 2019: First Time Captaining West Ham

On 28 December 2019, Declan Rice captained West Ham for the first time in a match against Leicester City.

2019: Made England Debut

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

July 2020: Scored First Premier League Goal of the Season

On 17 July 2020, Declan Rice scored his first Premier League goal of the season against Watford.

2020: Played in UEFA Euro 2020

In 2020, Declan Rice represented England at UEFA Euro 2020.

2020: Won Premier League 2 Division 2

In 2020, Declan Rice won the Premier League 2 Division 2 with West Ham United's under-23s.

2020: Played every minute of the 2019-20 season

In the 2019–2020 season, Rice played every minute of West Ham's 38 league games and was named Hammer of the Year.

2020: England UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifying Matches

On 13 March 2019, he was called up by England for their forthcoming UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying matches against the Czech Republic and Montenegro.

February 2021: Scored against Sheffield United

On 15 February 2021, Declan Rice scored his first goal of the season when he converted a penalty against Sheffield United.

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 over Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League.

2021: Named in 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.

May 2022: Hammer of the Year

On 9 May 2022, Declan Rice was named as Hammer of the Year for a second time. Following the retirement of Mark Noble in May 2022, Rice was named as captain of West Ham.

October 2022: Goal Against Southampton

On 16 October 2022, Declan Rice scored against Southampton in a 1-1 draw.

2022: Played in the 2022 FIFA World Cup

In 2022, Declan Rice represented England at the FIFA World Cup.

2022: Succeeded Mark Noble as Club Captain

In 2022, Declan Rice succeeded Mark Noble as the captain of West Ham United.

2022: Included in England Squad for 2022 FIFA World Cup

In 2022, Declan Rice was included in the England squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He started all five matches as England reached the quarter-finals, where they lost 2–1 to France.

April 2023: Goal Against Gent

On 20 April 2023, Declan Rice scored West Ham's third goal in a 4–1 win in the UEFA Europa Conference League against Belgian side Gent.

June 2023: Europa Conference League Player of the Season

On 8 June 2023, Declan Rice was named as the Europa Conference League's player of the season by UEFA.

July 2023: Left West Ham

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

July 2023: Signed by Arsenal

In July 2023, Declan Rice was signed by Arsenal for a club record fee of £100 million, making him the joint-most-expensive English player in history.

2023: Arsenal Debut and First Goal

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

March 2024: Rice to Captain England against Belgium

In March 2024, it was announced that Declan Rice would captain England for the first time in the match against Belgium, ahead of his 50th cap for the senior side. Also in 2024, he was named in England's 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2024. He started in central midfield in the team's opening match against Serbia, playing the full 90 minutes as England won 1–0 to go top of Group C.

December 2024: Scored and Provided an Assist against Crystal Palace

On 21 December 2024, Rice came off the bench against Crystal Palace, scoring and providing an assist to teammate Gabriel Martinelli in the 5–1 away rout of the Eagles.