Starting his football journey at the Chelsea FC academy wasn’t easy for young Declan. The Chelsea academy was known for its competitive atmosphere, where only the toughest young players thrived. Declan knew he would face stiff competition and battled insecurities as he fought for opportunities to advance through the age ranks. Despite facing rejection from Chelsea in 2014, Declan’s determination remained unwavering. He seized the opportunity when he was called up for trials at the West Ham United Academy that same year. Since then, he has emerged as one of England’s top defensive midfielders.
We present the full story of a defensive midfield genius best known as “Declan“. Our Declan Rice Story brings you a full account of important events from his boyhood years to the moment he achieved fame in club football.
Declan Rice: The Journey of England’s Finest Defensive Midfielder
The analysis of Declan’s story involves his early life, family background, life story before fame, rise to fame story, relationship, and personal life.
Yes, everyone knows he is a player with great potential for the future. However, only a few have considered Declan Rice’s biography, which is quite interesting. Now, without further ado, let’s Begin.
Declan Rice’s Childhood Story – Early Life and Family Background:
To kick off his biography, let’s start with the basics. Declan Rice, the England superstar, 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 journey in football.
Declan Rice is of Irish descent, and that can be traced from his father’s Irish parents, Margaret and Jack, who are from Douglas, a suburb of Cork City, Ireland.
Did you know?… Cork is the city of Roy Keane and Caoimhin Kelleher. Below is the footballer and his lovely father, Sean Rice.
Meet the man who raised Declan. He is Declan Rice’s Father, and his name is Sean Rice.
Thanks to his grandparents and because his mother, Teresa, was from Co Longford in Ireland, Declan believes he is a second-generation Irish in Britain. In summary, Declan is a footballer of Irish blood and a British heart.
Declan Rice grew up with his mum, dad, and possibly no brother or sister in Kingston upon Thames.
As a little boy, a sense of fulfilment came whenever there is football on his feet. Literally, all gifts little Declan requested came in the form of football. Such likeness for the sport later paid dividends.
Declan Rice Biography – Early Career Life:
Declan’s love for soccer led him to join the roster of Chelsea Football Academy along with other newcomers, following a successful trial.
He was one among few boys selected by the academy during a competitive period, a time when Chelsea FC had just been reformed by Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich.
Declan was proudly among the Chelsea Academy’s select few during the transformative Abramovich era.
That year, 2006, Declan’s career foundation was laid as a seven-year-old.
It was an exciting time for the Rice family, who saw their son entering the youth arm of a club, which just got rejuvenated by the special one, Jose Mourinho.
Declan Rice Biography – Road to Fame:
Life in the Chelsea FC 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 insecurities and viewing his teammates as competitors. Despite the tough competition, he fought hard and earned slim opportunities to advance through the age ranks. His perseverance eventually paid off, leading him to join Chelsea’s highly competitive under-14 teams, an achievement he’ll never forget.
Declan Rice was among the other few kids who saw themselves struggling in the cut-throat Chelsea FC environment during his under 14 years. Other upcoming stars like Michael Olise left the club.
Sadly, poor Declan could not cope with the pressure, and this brought huge consequences. He was released by Chelsea Academy, which saw him as a surplus to requirements.
That year, 2014, was the year Declan Rice faced depression as a young aspiring football star.
Without a doubt, any kid footballer who has lived through academy rejection will know only too well the deep emotional pain and damaging psychological consequences it can cause. Nabil Fekir also suffered a similar fate.
Despite Chelsea Academy’s rejection, determination remained his watchword. That same year, 2014, Declan was called up by the Academy of West Ham United for trials. In West Ham, Declan found solace away from his troubled reality.
Declan Rice Biography – Rise to Fame:
Better Life on the road to being Pro:
On the 16th day of December 2015, just after a year he joining Wes Ham Youth, Rice signed his first professional contract with the club and began to feature for the club’s U23 team.
This was the time he started bagging achievements. The first came on the 10th of November 2017, when Rice won PL2 Player of the Month of October 2017.
In March 2018, Rice was honoured with the U19 Player of the Year. This feat earned him a senior team ticket.
An early sign that Rice was going to be a great footballer.
Declan’s debut for the Hammers earned him the Man of the Match award. According to the footballer,…
“It was a very proud moment for me & my family. Big love to my dad, who came all the way out to come and watch; love you.”
In April 2018, Declan Rice was named the runner-up for the Hammer 2017–18 best player award which was given to Marko Arnautović.
Despite losing out to him, Rice retained another award for the young hammer of the year for the second year running.
Making a Statement:
“I’ve come back here after being released by Chelsea at 14, and five years later, I’m playing for West Ham in the Premier League,”
said Rice, who was released by Chelsea at the age of 14.
That Sunday was a crazy day and one which made Declan Rice’s family very proud of his achievements.
Rice used this opportunity to prove to Chelsea how good he was. He made a statement to the club and was very happy with his performance.
On 23 December 2018, Rice made his 50th appearance for West Ham. He became the first player to do so while still a teenager, thus beating Michael Carrick’s record.
After seeing interest from Man City, West Ham decided to offer him a new contract until the year 2024 with the option of an further year. Following the end of that contract, the Defensive midfielder joined Mikel Arteta‘s Arsenal side. The rest, as they say, is now history.
Declan Rice’s Girlfriend – the Love Story:
Declan Rice is quite the romantic. In his teenage years, he openly embraced love and even shared his relationship status on social media. While many young footballers prefer to keep their personal lives private, Declan took a different approach, which could potentially impact his budding career under public scrutiny.
This, however, isn’t the case for Declan Rice, who already knows the stock he is made up of.
Behind the football star, there is a glamorous wag who goes by the name of Lauren Fryer. Research has it that Lauren Fryer is the same age as her boyfriend.
Declan and Lauren Fryer.
Rice is the kind of lover who can sing love songs to his girlfriend, write poetry, paint pictures, and, most importantly, create love song videos filled with love photos of him and Lauren Fryer. Below is one such video.
Declan Rice Lifestyle:
Before the 28th of December, 2018, Declan earned a peanut of just £ 3,000 a week. At the time of writing, he earns £ 30,000 a week, which literally denotes a change of lifestyle.
Untold Facts:
Rice, upon joining West Ham Academy, Declan became an admirer and fan of Pablo Zabaleta, who played in Man City at that time.
Speaking about his admiration of the Argentine, he once said…; “I was a fan of Pablo in 2014. From a Fan, I became his fellow teammate.
Personal Life:
Getting to know Declan Rice‘s personal life would help you get a complete picture of him.
Declan is someone who possesses an inner state of independence, which has enabled him to make significant progress in his personal life.
Being released by the Chelsea FC academy built in Declan’s tough mentality and discipline, which reflects his current style of play.
Appreciation Note:
Thanks for reading our Declan Rice Childhood Story, plus his Untold Biography Facts.
We strive for accuracy and fairness in our delivery of English Football Stories.
Kindly stay tuned for more. Undoubtedly, the Life History of Declan Rice’s best friend, Mason Mount, and his fellow WestHam teammate, Jarrod Bowen, will excite you.
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