Declan Rice says talk about the 2026 Ballon d'Or feels surreal, even after recent displays. The Arsenal midfielder has become a leading contender alongside Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and Erling
Haaland. Yet Rice still stresses, "I'm just Dec from Kingston," despite the growing attention.
Arsenal currently lead the Premier League by five points and can stretch that to eight. A victory over Liverpool on Thursday would increase that cushion. The team also sit top of their Champions League group and continue to advance in domestic cups, underlining Rice's influence across competitions.
Across all competitions this season, Rice has scored four goals and supplied five assists. Only Leandro Trossard, with six assists, has created more for Arsenal. Rice's most recent league outing brought a brace against Bournemouth, underlining improved attacking numbers to match the control usually shown in midfield.
Rice's double against Bournemouth represented a first Premier League brace, achieved on his 296th appearance. It was also the second time Rice scored twice for Arsenal in any competition. The previous occasion came with two direct free-kicks against Real Madrid in April 2025, highlighting an expanding skill set.
Asked how it felt to be mentioned among Ballon d'Or candidates, Rice gave a modest response. Rice told Sky Sports: "I'm just Dec from Kingston, ain't I. Look, they're the right conversations to be in. Arsenal fans really appreciate what I'm doing for them at the minute, and it was West Ham fans before that, they were singing my praises. When you're being compared to the best players in the world, it's nice, so long may that continue. It shows you're playing well, and you want to play at the highest level. "
Arsenal's schedule continues to test that form on several fronts. The club have reached the EFL Cup semi-final and will face Chelsea this month. The FA Cup campaign starts on Sunday against Portsmouth. With strong league and European positions, Rice's performances remain central to Arsenal's targets.
Rice's contributions in goals, creativity and leadership have helped keep Arsenal competitive on every front. The midfielder's name now features regularly in Ballon d'Or discussions, yet public comments stay grounded. As the season moves forward, Rice's consistency will be crucial to maintaining Arsenal's current momentum.
