Why Declan Rice ditched Ireland for England after wanting to be Irish captain

Declan Rice is set for a frosty reception when he plays in Ireland for the first time since ditching the national team in 2019. The Arsenal midfielder is now a seasoned England international with 58 caps – but there was a time when he was even bigging himself up for the Irish captaincy.

Rice made three appearances for Ireland in 2018, although each were in friendlies which allowed him to switch allegiance. Despite being born in London, his paternal grandparents hailed from Cork and he initially picked Ireland over playing for England. He made 17 appearances in Ireland’s youth teams.

But in 2019, interest from the English Football Association following some excellent performances in the Premier League for West Ham left Rice with a decision to make. Much to the fury of Ireland, he decided that playing for England would be the best path for his future.

“This has been an extremely difficult decision and, in all honesty, not one I ever expected to be making at this stage of my career.” he said in a statement.

“Like so many people around the world, I consider myself to be of mixed nationality. I am a proud Englishman, having been born and raised in London.

“However, I am just as proud of my family’s Irish heritage and my affinity and connection with the country. I have equal respect and love for both England and Ireland and therefore the national team I choose to represent is not a clear-cut, simple selection. Particularly not for a young lad who never dreamed of being in this position.

“Ultimately, it is a personal decision that I have made with my heart and my head, based on what I believe is best for my future.

“I fully accept that some Irish supporters will be disappointed by my decision, and that everyone has different opinions in regard to the rules around international representation. However, I hope that people can understand that I have made this decision with honesty, integrity and the full support of my family.”

Rice has ultimately been proven correct. He has played in two European Championship finals and has reached a semi-final and a quarter-final at World Cups. But the emotions were heightened after he insisted he one day saw himself as captain material with Ireland.

Former Manchester United defender John O’Shea had claimed Rice could one day lead out Ireland, while Mick McCarthy is widely reported to have promised the former Chelsea academy prospect that he would build a team around him.

When O’Shea’s comments were put to Rice by Sky Sports, he responded: “Maybe one day I do see myself as a future captain. I’ve got it in me to tell people and order people around.”

Coincidentally, Rice’s return to Ireland comes the same year in which he captained England for the first time. He led out the Three Lions against Belgium in March, winning his 50th cap in the process. Harry Kane, another player with Irish family connections, is likely to start and don the armband tonight.

Rice, alongside Jack Grealish, who also played for Ireland at youth level, will face a hostile atmosphere in Dublin. How he copes could be key to England’s success.