Declan Rice (born 14 January 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Arsenal and the England national team. Known for his versatility, stamina, ball-carrying and tackling, he is considered one of the best midfielders in the world. Rice began his professional career at West Ham United, having been released by Chelsea's academy, and established himself as a key first-team player by 2017. In 2022, he succeeded Mark Noble as club captain, and led the club to a UEFA Europa Conference League title the following year, as well as being named the competition's Player of the Season. After making 245 appearances for West Ham, Rice was signed by Arsenal in July 2023 for a club record fee of £100 million, making him the joint-most-expensive English player in history. Eligible to play for England or the Republic of Ireland, Rice represented the latter internationally at both youth and senior levels prior to 2019. He subsequently changed his national allegiance and made himself available for selection by England. Rice made his England debut in 2019 and has represented the country at UEFA Euro 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and Euro 2024, finishing runner-up in both European Championship editions he participated in.