History of Declan Rice in Timeline
Declan Rice is an English professional footballer recognized as one of the world's best defensive midfielders. He plays for Arsenal in the Premier League and the England national team. His key strengths include stamina, physical power, adept ball-carrying skills, and strong tackling abilities.
1963: West Ham's Historic Defeat
In 1963, West Ham United suffered their worst home defeat in the league since a match against Blackburn Rovers. Declan Rice would later score against West Ham in 2024.
1965: West Ham's First Major European Trophy Since 1965
West Ham won their first major European trophy since 1965.
January 1999: Birth and Upbringing
Declan Rice was born in January 1999 and raised in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London.
January 1999: Birth of Declan Rice
Declan Rice was born in January 1999 in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London.
2006: Joins Chelsea Academy
At the age of seven, in 2006, Declan Rice joined the Chelsea academy.
2013: Joins West Ham Academy
Following his release from Chelsea, Declan Rice joined the West Ham United academy in 2013.
December 2015: First Professional Contract
Declan Rice signed his first professional contract with West Ham United in December 2015.
2015: Pro-IRA Comments on Social Media
In 2015, Declan Rice made comments on social media that were supportive of the Irish Republican Army, which later prompted an apology in 2019.
2016: Under-23s Promotion
Declan Rice captained the West Ham under-23 team to promotion after a win against Newcastle United in 2016.
2016: Wins Premier League Cup (U21s)
In 2016, Declan Rice was part of the West Ham under-21 team that won the Premier League Cup.
March 2017: Republic of Ireland U17 Player of the Year
In March 2017, Declan Rice was named Republic of Ireland U17 player of the year.
April 2017: First Senior Call-Up and Debut
In April 2017, Declan Rice received his first call-up to the West Ham senior squad and made his debut against Burnley.
May 2017: Call-up to Republic of Ireland Senior Squad
In May 2017, shortly after his Premier League debut, Declan Rice was called up to the Republic of Ireland senior squad for friendlies and a World Cup qualifier.
August 2017: First Team Debut vs. Southampton
Declan Rice made his first full first-team debut for West Ham United against Southampton in August 2017.
2017: First Team Regular at West Ham
By 2017, Declan Rice established himself as a key first-team player for West Ham United.
March 2018: Senior Debut for Republic of Ireland
Declan Rice made his senior debut for the Republic of Ireland in March 2018, in a defeat against Turkey.
April 2018: Hammer of the Year Runner-Up
Declan Rice was named runner-up for the West Ham Hammer of the Year award in April 2018.
August 2018: Omission from Republic of Ireland Squad
Declan Rice was left out of the Republic of Ireland squad in August 2018 amidst discussions about potentially switching to play for England.
November 2018: Uncertainty over International Future
In November 2018, Declan Rice was still undecided about whether to represent Ireland or England at the international level.
December 2018: Meeting with Ireland Manager
Declan Rice met with the new Ireland manager, Mick McCarthy, and his assistant in December 2018 to discuss his international future.
December 2018: 50th West Ham Appearance
In December 2018, Declan Rice made his 50th appearance for West Ham, becoming the first teenager to achieve this since Michael Carrick. He also signed a new contract with the club.
January 2019: First Goal for West Ham
Declan Rice scored his first goal for West Ham against Arsenal in January 2019.
February 2019: Pledge to England
In February 2019, Declan Rice announced his decision to represent England at the international level.
March 2019: First England Start and Death Threats
Declan Rice made his first start for England in March 2019, but later revealed that he had received death threats after switching allegiance.
March 2019: Apology for Pro-IRA Comments
In March 2019, Declan Rice issued an apology for pro-Irish Republican Army comments he made on social media in 2015.
September 2019: Death Threats Following Allegiance Switch
In September 2019, Declan Rice revealed that he received death threats after switching his international allegiance to England.
December 2019: First Time as West Ham Captain
At age 20, Declan Rice captained West Ham for the first time in December 2019.
2019: England Debut
Declan Rice made his debut for the England national team in 2019 after switching from the Republic of Ireland.
July 2020: First Premier League Goal of the Season
Declan Rice scored his first Premier League goal of the 2019-2020 season against Watford in July 2020.
2020: Wins Premier League 2 Division 2 (U23s)
Declan Rice and the West Ham under-23s won the Premier League 2 Division 2 title in 2020.
2020: UEFA Euro 2020 Appearance
Declan Rice represented England at UEFA Euro 2020.
2020: Full Season Played
During the 2019-2020 season, Declan Rice played every minute of all 38 league games for West Ham.
2020: UEFA Euro 2020 and First England Start
In 2020, Declan Rice was part of the England Squad which reached the final of Euro 2020, losing to Italy.
2020: UEFA Euro 2020 and First England Start
In March 2019, Rice was called up by England. He made his England debut in a Euro 2020 qualifier and played in the Nations League. Rice played for England at UEFA Euro 2020.
February 2021: First Goal of the 2020-2021 Season
Declan Rice scored his first goal of the 2020-21 season against Sheffield United in February 2021.
April 2021: Knee Injury
In April 2021, Declan Rice was sidelined for four weeks due to a knee injury sustained while on international duty.
September 2021: European Debut and Goal
Declan Rice made his European debut and scored his first European goal against Dinamo Zagreb in September 2021.
May 2022: Second Hammer of the Year Award and Europa League Team of the Year
Declan Rice was named Hammer of the Year for the second time in May 2022. He was also included in the 2021-22 UEFA Europa League Team of the Year.
August 2022: Birth of First Child
In August 2022, Declan Rice and his long-term girlfriend Lauren Fryer welcomed their first child, a son.
October 2022: First Goal of the 2022-2023 Season
Declan Rice scored his first goal of the 2022-23 season against Southampton in October 2022.
2022: 2022 FIFA World Cup Appearance
Declan Rice played for England in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
2022: West Ham Captaincy
Declan Rice succeeded Mark Noble as West Ham's club captain in 2022.
2022: 2022 FIFA World Cup Appearance
Declan Rice played for England in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals before losing to France.
April 2023: Memorable Goal against Gent
In April 2023, Declan Rice scored a remarkable goal against Gent in the UEFA Europa Conference League, described as a standout moment in his career.
May 2023: Third Hammer of the Year Award
Declan Rice received his third Hammer of the Year award in May 2023.
June 2023: Europa Conference League Player of the Season
UEFA named Declan Rice as the Europa Conference League Player of the Season in June 2023.
July 2023: Departure from West Ham
Declan Rice left West Ham United in July 2023 after making 245 appearances and scoring 15 goals.
July 2023: Signing with Arsenal
Declan Rice signed a long-term contract with Arsenal in July 2023 for a record fee.
July 2023: Transfer to Arsenal
In July 2023, Declan Rice joined 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 debut for Arsenal against Manchester City in the FA Community Shield, which Arsenal won on penalties. He also started in the opening Premier League match against Nottingham Forest, a win for Arsenal. Later in 2023, he scored his first goal for the club against Manchester United, securing a 3-1 victory.
March 2024: First Time Captaining England
Declan Rice captained England for the first time in a match against Belgium in March 2024.
2024: UEFA Euro 2024 Appearance
Declan Rice was part of the England squad for UEFA Euro 2024.
2024: Contract Extension Option
Declan Rice's contract included an option for an additional year, extending it to 2024.
2024: Second Installment of Transfer Fee
The second installment of Rice's transfer fee is due in the summer of 2024.