Declan Rice Childhood Story (What you didn’t know)
Declan Rice Childhood
Declan Rice was born on January 14, 1999, in London, United Kingdom. His parents, Sean Rice and Teresa Rice, welcomed him into the world, setting the stage for his remarkable football journey.
Declan Rice is of Irish descent, which can be traced back to his father’s Irish parents, Margaret and Jack, who are from Douglas, a suburb of Cork City, Ireland.
Declan Rice grew up with his mother, father and possibly no brothers or sisters in Kingston upon Thames.
Declan Rice’s Childhood at Chelsea Football Academy
Declan’s love of football led him to join the Chelsea Football Academy squad alongside other newcomers after a successful trial.
He was one of a handful of youngsters selected by the academy during a competitive period, a time when Chelsea FC had just been revamped by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich .
Declan was proudly among the select few at Chelsea Academy during the transformative Abramovich era.
That year, 2006, the foundation of Declan’s career was laid when he was seven years old.
It was an emotional moment for the Rice family, who saw their son join the youth ranks of a club that had just been rejuvenated by someone special, José Mourinho.
Life at Chelsea FC’s academy was no walk in the park back then. It was a tough environment where only the most resilient players thrived. Declan Rice faced the same challenges as his peers, battling self-doubt and seeing his teammates as competitors. Despite the tough competition, he fought hard and was given few opportunities to progress through the youth ranks. His perseverance eventually paid off, leading to him joining Chelsea’s highly competitive under-14s side, an achievement he will never forget.
Declan Rice was among the few children who found themselves struggling in the unforgiving environment of Chelsea FC during his under-14 years.
Unfortunately, poor Declan couldn’t handle the pressure, and it had huge consequences. He was released by Chelsea Academy, who saw him as surplus to requirements.
That year, 2014, Declan Rice struggled with depression as a young aspiring football star.
No doubt any young footballer who has experienced rejection at the academy will know all too well the deep emotional pain and damaging psychological consequences this can cause.
Declan Rice’s childhood at West Ham United academy
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| Declan Rice’s childhood at West Ham United academy (© West Ham United FC) |
Despite being rejected by the Chelsea Academy, determination remained his watchword. In the same year, 2014, Declan was called up by the Academy of West Ham United for trials. At West Ham, Declan found solace away from his troubled reality.
Declan Rice debuts for the first team
On 16 December 2015, two years after joining West Ham United at youth level, Rice signed his first professional contract with the club. Rice received his first call-up to the West Ham senior squad for matches against Sunderland and Everton in April 2017, after impressing for the under-23s.
He made his first-team debut against Burnley on the final day of the 2016–17 Premier League season, coming on as a 91st-minute substitute in a 2–1 away win, five days after leading the under-23s to promotion with a 2–1 away win against Newcastle United. He made his senior debut on 19 August 2017 in a 3–2 defeat against Southampton.
In April 2018, Rice was named runner-up for the 2017–18 Hammer of the Year award, finishing behind Marko Arnautović. On 22 December 2018, he made his 50th appearance for West Ham, becoming the first player to do so as a teenager since Michael Carrick. On 28 December 2018, Rice signed a new contract until 2024 with the option of an additional year.
On 12 January 2019, Rice scored his first goal for West Ham and was named man of the match in a 1–0 win against Arsenal, in West Ham’s 50th Premier League game at the London Stadium. On 20 April, Rice was shortlisted for the PFA Young Player of the Year award, which was eventually awarded to Rice’s England teammate Raheem Sterling.
At the end of the 2018–19 season, he was named the Players’ Player of the Year and won the Individual Performance of the Season award for his decisive performance against Arsenal, and was named West Ham’s Young Player of the Year for the third consecutive year. On 28 December 2019, Rice captained West Ham for the first time, aged 20, in a 2–1 home defeat to Leicester City.
He scored his first and only Premier League goal of the season on 17 July 2020, with a shot from outside the box against Watford in a 3–1 win.
In the 2019–20 season, Rice played all 38 league matches for West Ham, playing every minute. He was among the top five players in the Premier League for both tackles and interceptions, leading West Ham players in both categories and making more passes than any other West Ham player. He was named Hammer of the Year for the first time in 2020.
Arsenal
On 15 July 2023, Rice signed for Premier League club Arsenal on a long-term contract. The transfer fee was reported to be an initial £100 million, with a possible increase of £5 million in add-ons, making him the most expensive English player, equalling Jack Grealish’s previous record. The structure of the transfer was reported as West Ham receiving £50 million immediately and a further £50 million in the summer of 2024. They will also receive £1 million every time Arsenal qualify for the Champions League during his time at the club and £1 million if he plays 60% of the games in a season, with these payments capped at £5 million.
He made his debut on 6 August against Manchester City in the 2023 FA Community Shield, which Arsenal won 4–1 on penalties after a 1–1 draw. On 12 August, Rice started in Arsenal’s opening match of the 2023–24 Premier League season, a 2–1 home win over Nottingham Forest. On 3 September, he scored his first goal for Arsenal, scoring in injury time to give his team a 2–1 lead against Manchester United in a match that ended in a 3–1 victory. Rice was announced as a nominee for The Best FIFA Men’s Player based on his performances for both London clubs and the national team. On 11 February, Rice scored his first goal against his former club West Ham United in a 6–0 win at the London Stadium, which was West Ham’s worst home league defeat since 1963 against Blackburn Rovers.
Declan Rice parents and siblings (family)
D. Rice was supported by his parents and grew up with his siblings. Rice’s father’s name is Sean Rice and his mother’s name is Stephanie Rice. Declan has two brothers: Connor Rice and Jordan Rice.
Declan Rice’s girlfriend
Declan’s girlfriend is Lauren Fryer. The couple are said to have met as teenagers in 2015 and have remained in a relationship ever since.
Lauren and Declan live together in London and also own a home in Kingston-Upon-Thames, where they grew up.
It’s unclear what Lauren’s job is, but it appears she is a stay-at-home mom to her and Declan’s young son.
Declan Rice children
Declan and his girlfriend Lauren have a son, Jude. Their son was born on August 7, 2022, with Declan confirming the happy news shortly after his birth.
To commemorate this exciting moment, Declan got a tattoo of his son’s birth date and also the Leo zodiac symbol, as this is Jude’s sign.
Is Declan Rice married?
Although they have been in a relationship for years, Lauren and Declan are not married and do not appear to be engaged as of June 2024.
