**Former West Ham captain Declan Rice has been the subject of football social media discourse this week.**
The 27-year-old was part of the Arsenal side that lost the UEFA Champions League Final to PSG on Saturday. Following the game, which the Gunners lost on penalties, a shot of Rice on the pitch caught the eye of fans, especially neutrals.
During the Parisian celebrations after the shoot-out, Rice was pictured, hands on his knees, defeated. Then, a wry smile spread across his face, one which has since drawn comparisons to the Grinch.
It was a slightly strange moment. Despite the heartbreak Rice and Arsenal had just endured, the former Hammer’s facial expression appeared unbothered, even somewhat vengeful – it was certainly a far cry from the tears he shed following disappointment in the European Championship Final in 2021.
That smiling shot of him went viral on social media, where neutral fans ridiculed the recent Premier League champion.
Over the course of this season, particularly over the last couple of months, Rice has been criticised for being too “performative”: a footballer who plays up to the cameras – and this is just the latest instance of such a phenomenon.
The UEFA Conference League winner was also criticised by some fans following West Ham’s recent relegation to the Championship. When the former Irons skipper heard of the Hammers’ relegation on the final day of the season, he appeared genuinely upset, storming off before he would eventually lift the league title minutes later.
Of course, many fans didn’t believe his reaction was genuine and felt that, once again, he was playing up to the cameras. Additionally, his “It’s not done” comment to his Arsenal teammates following their defeat to title rivals Manchester City earlier this year was widely broadcast on Sky Sports’ social channels.
Personally, I think this criticism is slightly excessive. Sure, Rice is very comfortable in front of the camera, and I remember from his West Ham days that he would fix his hair before doing basically anything on a football pitch. But I believe that most of these recent reactions are genuine.
The truth is, Rice has been recognised as one of the top midfielders in world football for a while now, and with great recognition comes great scrutiny. If he’s not a “sideways-pass addict”, he’s a “set-piece merchant” or an overly “performative” individual.
Ultimately, this is a fascinating look into the difference between being a West Ham player and a “Big Six” player. There are football fans out there who really don’t rate Rice, but since he moved to Arsenal, criticism of him has become increasingly unrelated to his performances on the pitch, which have remained stellar.
Instead, critics have focused on his personality, his girlfriend, or other admittedly trivial matters. During his time at West Ham, opposition fans never mentioned these things.
He has raised his profile since his big move three years ago; he has won the Premier League; and he will likely win more trophies. But the focus is no longer purely on his footballing ability and performances. That’s what happens when you join a big club – and if Jarrod Bowen follows suit and joins a big side this summer, you had better believe that his relationship with Dani Dyer will be discussed much more prominently.