Unlike most fans watching from home, Wesley Sneijder was not impressed by Declan Rice’s free-kick heroics in Arsenal’s dominant 3-0 victory over reigning European champions Real Madrid.
Rice made Champions League history by becoming the first player to score two direct free-kick goals in a knockout stage match—an achievement that quickly became the center of attention on social media. It was a moment he later called the best of his career so far, and understandably so. Before this, he had gone 338 games without a free-kick goal but then netted two in just 12 minutes against none other than Real Madrid.
Despite the widespread praise, former Netherlands international Sneijder offered a different perspective in his post-match analysis. Speaking on Ziggo Sport, he criticized Real Madrid’s defensive setup and downplayed the technique behind Rice’s first free-kick.
“The wall wasn’t positioned properly for the first goal,” Sneijder remarked. “A right-footed player should never be able to curl the ball around the wall from that angle. That just shouldn’t happen. It might sound strange, but for a right-footed player, that shot is actually quite simple if you have a good strike. The wall was too far to the left, making it an easy goal.”
Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who was alongside Sneijder in the studio, agreed. “Wesley is right,” he said. “The wall was positioned too far left, giving him an easy path to goal.”
Sneijder also criticized Thibaut Courtois’ positioning for the second free-kick, pointing out that the goalkeeper’s step to the right left him with no chance of stopping the shot. “That step was due to the uncertainty from the first goal,” he added.
Clarence Seedorf, analyzing the match for Amazon Prime with Cesc Fabregas, Wayne Rooney, and Daniel Sturridge, also noted Madrid’s poor wall placement. However, he acknowledged Rice’s intelligence and precision.
“Rice saw the space and took full advantage, though Courtois set up a weak wall with only four players, leaving too much room,” Seedorf explained. “Still, you have to strike it well, and Rice deserves credit for reading the situation and executing it perfectly.”
What do you think about Sneijder’s comments? Share your thoughts below.
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