Ex-Spurs player Rafael van der Vaart, who was pundit for the Euros Final, calls Declan Rice ‘useless’ and says Arsenal paid too much for him.
He criticised Declan Rice after England fell to a 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final on Sunday night, and claims Rice was not deserving of the £105million transfer fee that Arsenal paid for him from West Ham in 2023.
His performances for England has seemingly got many in the media talking throughout the tournament, and again against Luis de la Fuente’s side at the Olympiastadion.
🚨🚨🎙️| Van der Vaart with harsh words on Rice:
"€100M for Declan Rice. What does he do? He comes to collect a ball only to pass it back to John Stones. He is useless. If you are truly worth €100M, then you should be able to play a ball forward."
[@NOS via @TheEuropeanLad] pic.twitter.com/KNU0gJiHMp
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) July 14, 2024
Speaking on Dutch TV channel NOS after the game, he said: “£100m for Declan Rice… What does he do? He comes to collect a ball only to pass it back to John Stones.
“He is useless. If you are truly worth £100m, then you should be able to play a ball forward.”
Van der Vaart questioned Jude Bellingham operating as a number 10 for England, saying: “Jude Bellingham is not someone who’s there for the smooth touches, he’s just a strong lad who keeps going 90 mins long. The number 10 on his back is debatable. Sure, he can wear a number 10, but for me he is not a number 10.”
A few days earlier, Vaart also let rip at the England team after beating the Netherlands: “I was getting so worked up about those English guys.
“What a sh*t team they are. Slowly, they didn’t want to do anything anymore. They have such top players on the field. We didn’t do much either. We had a few chances. There could have been so much more in it.”
“I find it really unbelievable. When you see that second half, in a semi-final, and then such a lousy team… such top players on the field and I think they played well for half an hour. Keep going, show that you are the best. At a certain point, you just felt that the Netherlands were getting better and better. We were getting more and more out of it. We had two or three chances if they played out a bit better [Netherlands might’ve won]. And then in the last second [to lose it is hard to take]….”
Rice was named in the starting lineup for all of England’s seven matches at the Euros, and was played alongside three different midfielders in the middle.
He began the tournament with Trent Alexander-Arnold, then Conor Gallagher, and for the last four games it was with Kobbie Mainoo.
Emmanuel Petit said to talkSPORT in June that Rice had been a ‘victim’ of Gareth Southgate’s tactics: “I think even for Declan Rice, I don’t recognise him. The way he was marvellous with Arsenal for the last season, he’s been magnificent. He’s been playing as a leader.
“He was a masterclass all the time on the pitch, taking responsibility. I saw him [vs Denmark], dropping back on central defenders all the time.
“He was unable as well to build the game from behind when he had the chance to do it.
“And I never saw him trying to support the attack and try to do the same thing he’s doing with Arsenal.
“So I think he’s not confident. He’s covering so many miles on the pitch. He’s the only one to do that.
“So it’s not the same Declan Rice, but I think he’s a victim of the structure, the tactics, and the players he’s got around him in midfield.”
Earlier in the tournament, James McClean also called his former Ireland teammate ‘overrated’… see more, including Rice’s response in the article below.
Declan Rice gives surprising response to ‘bitter’ James McClean after being called ‘overrated’
As you can imagine, there was plenty of reaction on Twitter as ex-Spurs player Rafael van der Vaart calls Declan Rice ‘useless’ and says Arsenal paid too much for him…
@hotspurreports: I thought I couldn’t love Rafa anymore… He’s absolutely spot on.
@MardyMillennial: Blame Southgate, not the players. Rice had a great season for Arsenal as Arteta used him correctly and played to his strengths
@PompeyChels79: Most negative and boring midfielder I’ve ever seen !! Spent most of the game stood on Stones and Guehi toes !! Plays far too deep! Gave the Spanish far too much space and time
@JOEREILLY1689: Rice is not as bad as he makes out, but not as good as his price tag. He’s a good midfielder, but not the number six many hoped he would be. I am not a fan of a double pivot as I believe it’s a needs must when you don’t have a lone DM good enough to protect your defence.
@Dave_C90: Not harsh at all. Was absolute gash all tournament
@leon_14d: There’s a reason why former players like Van der Vaart and James McLean are low-level pundits, while the likes of Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola are managers for big football clubs…
@ianmcleod56: Not a Van der Vaart fan by any means, but he is right ! Rice’s negativity was the heart of our problems. Involved in lost goals in run up to final. If he was as good as you think he is, he could have pushed us forward and not back.
@elliot444g: Spurs salt is great seasoning for Rice. You have foden passing it back all the time in this England team but yeah sure it’s on rice and not the tactics. Maybe van der vaart should watch the premier league where rice was signing of the season (or palmer tbf).
@A_GymGuy: Dutch are harsh but I always said I never got it with Rice. Some people I follow on here have been telling me for years he’s great. I don’t see anything but a decent player. Anything around world class or amazing I will never get
@steviedoyle08: He’s Henderson 2.0
@JamieIrishRed: 💯 most overrated player I’ve seen in a long long time
@Jordanbrown820: Geezer has a lot to say considering he was average as fuck
@Chatabecks: Always loved @rafvdvaart never a truer word spoken
@McK30wn: Most over rated player in the league… easiest job in football he has and get away with it as if he’s world class
@priestley93: You can’t deny this. For club he’s decent I don’t know if it’s how Gareth plays him but if you drop him from this squad you don’t notice
@andygoon63: Luckily arteta plays him in his correct position
@PaulClarkson86: He’s absolutely right. Rice for the past 2 games has been shite. Passes sideways and plays CB.
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