Declan Rice has identified three Arsenal teammates as key figures behind the scenes during the club’s Premier League title-winning campaign, pointing to a team meeting as a pivotal moment.
Rice spoke after Arsenal lifted the Premier League trophy at Selhurst Park on Sunday, reflecting on what he believes changed the course of their season.
The turning point, according to Rice, did not come after a big victory but instead followed one of the club’s most frustrating results of the entire campaign.
Back in February, Arsenal threw away a two-goal lead against Wolves at Molineux, dropping two points in a 2-2 draw against the bottom club in the division.
The result raised serious questions about Arsenal’s mentality and whether they could sustain a title challenge against Manchester City heading into the business end of the season.
A meeting followed that match, and Rice said several players spoke up, with three voices leaving a particularly strong impression on the group during that discussion.
Martin Odegaard helped initiate the conversation, Christian Norgaard delivered what Rice described as powerful words, and Eberechi Eze closed the meeting with a composed but impactful message.
Rice said: ‘I know one player, Norgaard said some really good words, but I was going to say Martin as well when he started it off but also Eze, he ended it with some really nice and strong messages.’
Rice continued: ‘He’s such a calm guy, you see how he is on the pitch that’s how he is off the pitch. He just calmed everyone and it was really nice.’
Rice also noted that the collective nature of the leadership throughout the season stood out to him as something that went largely unnoticed from the outside.
He added: ‘That’s been another thing this season, there’s been a lot of people who have stepped up behind the scenes. Nobody would think they’re leaders but they’ve really been talking within the group.’
Rice said those contributions included private conversations between players, describing the effort as one that extended well beyond what supporters witnessed during matchdays at stadiums.
He stated: ‘They’ve pushed people in quiet one to ones. It’s been a real group effort this season.’
Rice’s account highlights how the title was constructed not just through performances on the pitch but through honest and sometimes uncomfortable conversations within the squad.
Eze, who Rice described as naturally calm both on and off the pitch, appeared to make a particular impression with how he steadied the group following the Wolves disappointment.
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