Declan Rice and West Ham United were the perfect story. A young lad joins the academy, progresses through the ranks, debuts as a teenager, becomes their talisman, captains his side at just 19 years of age, and plays a pivotal role in winning the club its first trophy in decades. On top of that, leaves them with a parting gift of over £105 million thanks to his record-breaking transfer fee.
Safe to say, Declan Rice still holds a soft spot for his former club in his heart despite the move to Arsenal.
As his side travelled to Prague for their Champions League game, Rice took a trip down memory lane as he reflected on a historic night with his former side.
The English star has been a key figure for the London side, but he has yet to achieve one thing which he managed to do at West Ham… that is, getting his hands on a trophy.
Under David Moyes, West Ham won the UEFA Conference League by defeating Fiorentina 2-1 at Slavia Prague’s Fortuna Arena with goals from Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen.
Declan Rice was the West Ham captain that night as he lifted the trophy, in what ultimately proved to be his final game for the East London club.
Although Rice has grown into a world-class player, a big portion of his development happened during his time at West Ham.
Coming through the ranks at the Hammers, he had to fight his way into the team and progress each season. Over time, he became an ever-present force in the West Ham side, making memories that will last a lifetime.
The former hammer was reflecting on those memories as he returned to the stadium where he lifted the UEFA Conference League trophy in 2023.
Rice took to Instagram stories and posted a heartfelt message with a picture of the stadium with the caption: “This exact end and stadium. The best memories here. Forever grateful.”
Even after the transfer, Declan Rice has always been vocal about his love for his former side. However, the same feeling hasn’t been reciprocated by the West Ham faithful, as fans still have mixed feelings surrounding his exit from the club.
I understand West Ham fans not liking arsenal but the way some act towards rice is hilarious esp when you see how other players act after making big moves, been nothing but respectful after captaining you lot to a trophy and bringing in 100m
— AR (@gabiEnthusiast1) November 4, 2025
However, this gesture seems to have melted a few hearts as fans are getting emotional over Rice feeling nostalgic about the past.
He remembers us ⚒️
— Louis ⚒️ (@louisgalman07) November 4, 2025
Nostalgia was the last thing on Rice’s mind once he stepped onto the pitch as he helped Arsenal steamroll Slavia Prague 3-0 to extend their winning run to 10 consecutive matches in all competitions.
Rice delivered a splendid assist as Mikel Merino hit a brace after Saka had opened the scoring from the penalty spot. This was also Arsenal’s 8th consecutive clean sheet, matching a club record that was set in 1903.
