Former Arsenal striker Paul Dickov believes Declan Rice would become a serious Ballon d’Or contender if Arsenal beat Paris Saint-Germain to win the Champions League final this month, with the 27-year-old midfielder having produced another exceptional season for the Gunners.
Rice has been central to everything Arsenal have done in what could be a historic campaign. Five points clear at the top of the Premier League with three games remaining and a Champions League final against PSG on the horizon, Arteta’s side are on the verge of achieving something the club has never done before. And Rice, arguably more than any other Arsenal player, has been the engine driving it.
Dickov, speaking to MrQ, made the case clearly: “Whether Arsenal go on and successfully win the Premier League or not, I think that winning the Champions League is the big one for the Ballon d’Or. So if Arsenal go on and win the Champions League, then Declan Rice has got to be in with a great shout for the Ballon d’Or.”
Why Declan Rice’s Ballon d’Or case is stronger than the numbers suggest
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Rice has registered 16 goal contributions in the current season, three fewer than he managed in his previous campaign with Arsenal. On the surface, that looks like a slight dip in output. In reality, his influence on the team has grown considerably.
The Englishman has completed 14 more passes per outing in the Premier League compared to last season. He has won more duels, made more tackles and registered more recoveries. Operating with greater freedom to press forward from a central midfield role, Rice has become the kind of midfielder who shapes games without necessarily dominating the statistics that casual observers focus on. The expanded passing numbers tell the real story of how important he has been to how Arsenal build and control possession.
The Modric precedent and what Declan Rice actually needs to win the Ballon d’Or
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The honest assessment is that Champions League glory alone is unlikely to be enough to secure Rice the Ballon d’Or. Luka Modric’s 2018 win is the most relevant reference point, and Modric did not win it simply because Real Madrid lifted the trophy in Kyiv. He combined that Champions League triumph with leading Croatia all the way to the World Cup final in the same calendar year, producing performances of consistent brilliance on the biggest stages the game has to offer.
Rice would likely need something similar. The World Cup takes place in the summer of 2026, and his performances for England across the tournament could prove just as significant to his Ballon d’Or chances as anything he does for Arsenal in the coming weeks. Win the Champions League with Arsenal and then drive England deep into a World Cup they are hosting on home soil, and the conversation becomes a very different one.
The pieces are there. Rice is at the right age, at a club on the verge of genuine European glory, and with a World Cup on home turf to come. Whether it is enough will depend on what happens between now and the autumn ballot. But Paul Dickov is right that lifting the Champions League against PSG would open that door significantly.
Related Items:Ballon d'Or, Latest Declan Rice News | Transfer News | Injury News and Update, Paul Dickov, PSG
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