Declan Rice has revealed his hesitation in taking the captain’s armband in England’s solid 2-0 win against the Republic of Ireland, suggesting it belonged to John Stones instead.
The Arsenal midfielder had an impressive night at The Aviva Stadium, not only breaking the deadlock for Lee Carsley’s side but also setting up Jack Grealish for the second goal just minutes after.
Supporters with sharp eyes noticed Rice apparently declining the captain’s armband from Harry Kane when the Tottenham Hotspur striker was subbed off late in the game. It was ultimately handed over to Stones, whom Rice believed was the rightful choice for captaincy.
Speaking after the match, Rice explained: “Kane tried to give me the armband but Stonesy is more senior and experienced than me. I just said to Harry, ‘Probably John deserves it more than me. I said to give it to John’.”
Rice added: “That was it. It doesn’t need to be made into a bigger thing. John is one of the more senior ones. Usually he is captain when Harry doesn’t play so it was the right decision.”
Carsley, who was basking in the glory of a successful debut as interim manager post-Southgate’s exit after the Euro 2024 final loss, also addressed Rice’s deference over the captaincy by saying: “I think John [Stones] was vice-captain so just out of respect with John coming on, he gave him the armband. I don’t think he refused it.”
During the intense match at The Aviva Stadium, Rice, previously capped by the Republic of Ireland before his switch to England, as well as Grealish, faced hostility from the local supporters. While Grealish exulted over his goal, Rice responded quite differently upon scoring, offering an apologetic gesture and maintaining a reserved demeanour.
Rice shared his sentiment post-match: “Obviously my grandparents are Irish and they’ve all passed away now. So I did not want to be disrespectful to them. I really enjoyed myself playing for Ireland and did not think it was appropriate.”