Following Arsenal’s dominant win over Manchester City, Declan Rice made a selfless and commendable decision—he returned his Man of the Match award to a teammate he believed was the true standout performer. Although Rice was officially named the recipient, he felt another Arsenal player had delivered an exceptional 9.5/10 performance but was unfairly overlooked by the English media.
Explaining his choice, Rice stated:
“I’ve decided to give the Man of the Match award back to him. He was the one who truly deserved it, not me. It’s disappointing that the media ignored his performance last night.”
His decision followed an outpouring of messages from Arsenal fans, who urged him to recognize his teammate’s outstanding display. Social media buzzed with debates, with many insisting the unnamed player had dominated the game and should have received full credit.
Rice’s gracious act further solidified his reputation as a leader and team player, earning admiration from both fans and teammates. With Arsenal sitting second in the league, performances like this highlight their title ambitions—while Rice’s humility reflects the squad’s strong sense of unity.