Declan Rice has defended Martin Odegaard as Arsenal’s captain, suggesting the squad wouldn’t want anyone else to have the armband.
LEICESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 15: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates after Mikel Merino of Arsenal (not pictured) scores his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Leicester City FC and Arsenal FC at The King Power Stadium on February 15, 2025 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Martin Odegaard has been Arsenal’s captain for three years now, having officially taken on the armband in the summer of 2022.
The midfielder had already had a run of games in the role before that, taking on the captaincy on a temporary basis towards the end of the 2021/22 – from April 16th until the end of the campaign. But it will be three years for him as the permanent holder of the armband in July.
Yet there have been some questions about the captaincy this season, with Odegaard’s form dipping and his midfield partner Declan Rice proving more of a driving force on the pitch.
LONDON, ENGLAND: Declan Rice of Arsenal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final First Leg match between Arsenal FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium on April 29, 2025. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Some have called for Rice to replace Odegaard, but the player himself says the squad are happy with their current captain.
“He’s our leader, he’s our captain,” Rice said. “He trains every single day, he plays every minute of every game. He’s one of the best lads I’ve seen away from the pitch in terms of how he lives his life.
“He’s got the full respect of the dressing room, the way he demands, the way he drives the team, the way he speaks. You wouldn’t see him as that type of character, but he really is behind the scenes.
“He’s been amazing for us and I wouldn’t want anyone else being our captain. I think the lads feel the same way about that as well.”
EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 first leg match between PSV and Arsenal FC on March 04, 2025. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Fans can overrate certain aspects of the captaincy, like seeing a player shouting commands to his teammates on the pitch, whilst ignoring many other important responsibilities of the role.
You want your captain to be a calm head communicating with the referee and the media, you want them to be intelligent enough to spot problems and work with the manager to address them, and you want them to set an example with their professionalism and commitment.
Odegaard has all of those traits, and that’s not to say Rice doesn’t, but the debate seems like a desire for change for the sake of change.
No one at Arsenal is reported to have any issue with the current captain, so it’s unlikely the armband will be stripped from him while he remains at the club.
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