English broadcaster Piers Morgan has insisted that Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, rebuffing the idea of Bruno Fernandes winning the PFA Player of the Year award over the England international. Morgan also claimed that Rice is currently the best player in Europe for his performances this season.
Rice has excelled for Arsenal this season and has been dominant in the middle of the pitch, recording five goals and 11 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions. His performances have helped his side challenge for both the Premier League title and UEFA Champions League, firmly putting the 27-year-old in the Ballon d'Or race.
Declan Rice also had an impactful performance for the Gunners during their recent 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals (May 5). Mikel Arteta and Co. secured a 2-1 win on aggregate, progressing to the final in the process.
Meanwhile, Fernandes has also performed well for Manchester United, garnering eight goals and 21 assists in 34 appearances across all competitions. While the Portugal international is unlikely to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or due to the Red Devils' lack of silverware, he has been tipped to win the PFA Player of the Year award.
However, Morgan tweeted on X:
"The idea that Bruno Fernandes wins PFA Player of Year over @_DeclanRice is preposterous. Rice should win the Ballon d’Or too, he’s been the best player in Europe."
Rice created two chances, made four tackles, three recoveries, and won five duels against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League second leg. He also made eight progressive passes into the final third and completed five long balls from an attempted eight.
"If you want to be part of the greatest, you have to win titles" - When Emmanuel Petit delivered verdict on Arsenal star Declan Rice winning the Ballon d'Or this season
Former Arsenal midfielder and football pundit Emmanuel Petit once claimed that Declan Rice was potentially leading the 2026 Ballon d'Or race in February earlier this year. However, he claimed that the Gunners would need to win the Premier League title for Rice to have the chance of winning his first Golden Ball.
While Arsenal lost the EFL Cup final against Manchester City earlier this season, they have a massive opportunity to win both the PL title and the Champions League. They are currently at the summit of the league table with just three games to go this season, and will face one of PSG or Bayern Munich in the Champions League final.
Petit told Ignition Casino (via Football365):
"Declan Rice is potentially leading the race for the Ballon d’Or, but don’t forget there is a World Cup at the end of the year. I think that could be very important for him, but he and the Arsenal team definitely have to win something at the end of the season."
He added:
"Declan Rice has been among the best midfield players for years now, but unfortunately, he has won nothing at Arsenal. If you want to be part of the greatest, you have to win titles, definitely. You have to be one of the best players on the market, but you also have to win trophies. It doesn’t mean anything if people recognize you as one of the most special players on the pitch, but you don’t win anything at all."
In addition to Rice, the likes of Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Michael Olise, and Kylian Mbappe have also been tipped to potentially win the Ballon d'Or this season.