Declan Rice was born on 14 January 1999 in Kingston upon Thames, London. Released by Chelsea's academy at 14, he joined West Ham United's youth setup and signed his first professional contract with the club in December 2015. He made his senior debut in May 2017 and quickly established himself as one of the most reliable midfielders in the Premier League.
Rice built his reputation on consistency and leadership at West Ham, winning the Hammer of the Year award three times and succeeding Mark Noble as club captain in 2022. His defining moment in east London came in the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League, where he captained West Ham to a 2–1 final victory over Fiorentina — the club's first major European trophy since 1965 — and was named the competition's Player of the Season.
A disciplined defensive midfielder with strong ball-carrying, tackling, and stamina, Rice is effective both in breaking up opposition play and driving forward with possession. He joined Arsenal in July 2023 for a club-record fee of £100 million, equalling the record for the most expensive English player in history, and has since become a central figure in the side. In the 2024–25 season he scored two direct free kicks in a single Champions League knockout match against Real Madrid, a first in the competition's history.
International career has also been a significant part of his story. After representing the Republic of Ireland at senior level, Rice switched allegiance to England in 2019 and has since earned caps at Euro 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and Euro 2024, finishing runner-up in both European Championship editions.