Declan Rice is still only 23 years old, but over the last four years he has grown into a colossus for West Ham. He’s the youngest captain of a Premier League side and one of the finest midfielders in the country and yet this week there were several shouts online that the Englishman is overrated.
It’s a bizarre statement that perhaps refers to the fact that for so long he was underrated. He became West Ham's heartbeat in the middle of the pitch and they quickly grew to love everything he did for the side. Over the years though, he was repeatedly praised for these types of performances, and called into the senior England set-up when he was just 20.
Is it because he is now old news that people feel they have to have a negative opinion on Rice? Because statistically he is certainly still up there in his energetic midfield role. He is in the 94th percentile for both pass completion and interceptions, he is in the 87th percentile for progressive carries and he is in the 79th percentile for dribbles completed. He’s the perfect central midfielder that can do it all.
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It's one of several reasons that he is guaranteed to start for England at the World Cup. But his nationality doesn’t make him overrated. Instead, his place in the Three Lions’ midfield is secure because of how he has transformed the midfield and taken it to the next level. In 2018, Jesse Lingard, Dele Alli and Jordan Henderson started centrally in a World Cup semi-final.
The progress Rice made in three years saw him start a European Championship final last summer and put in phenomenal displays throughout the tournament. He’ll be a key figure in England’s midfield for years to come, whether that be under Gareth Southgate or the next incumbent.
Perhaps another argument is that with all the attention Jude Bellingham is drawing, Rice is in some people’s mind ‘old news’. Just like in Toy Story, Buzz 'Bellingham’ Lightyear has arrived and Woody has been tossed to one side. But he’s still a phenomenal toy in his own right and they can flourish together in the same midfield.
Southgate deserves huge credit for how he has handled both talented youngsters. They’ve both had to earn their right to a starting XI spot and now they will be given a chance on the biggest stage. But Rice is the reliable pick. He’s the natural choice in a position where England have a severe lack of depth but their two starters are emerging as world superstars at a young age.
Sure, Bellingham might have a higher ceiling. Some would argue he is even a better player right now, but that doesn’t mean that Rice is underrated. What you want rice to be in all walks of life is a solid and steady side that compliments the main feature of a meal. It perfectly describes exactly what he is as a player.
He is good enough to play for any of the top sides in the world. He can carry the ball like no other midfielder in the Premier League and at just 23, he has become undroppable for his country. Overrated? You’ve got to be having a laugh.
