Declan Rice’s Stunning Free-Kick Goals Dazzle in Champions League Clash

LONDON, England – Declan Rice made headlines on Tuesday with two spectacular free-kick goals, guiding Arsenal to a critical victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals at Emirates Stadium.

The unexpected display of skill came as Rice had not scored from a direct free-kick in his professional career until this match. He netted his first from a dead ball in the 58th minute, curling the ball around the wall past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Just 12 minutes later, he struck again, this time sending the ball high into the top right corner of the net.

According to Opta’s expected goals (xG) model, the chances of scoring each free-kick were remarkably low. The xG for Rice’s first goal was just 3.7%, while his second carried a 6.3% chance of finding the net. The combined probability of scoring both was a mere 0.23%, or approximately one in 435, highlighting the rarity of such achievements.

Rob Green, a former West Ham and England goalkeeper, observed both goals live at the Emirates and remarked, “Both were impossible to save. You have got the best goalkeeper in the world, who is also massive with limbs that go on forever, yet he still got nowhere near either of them.”

Discussing the second free-kick in particular, Green noted, “When someone shoots at what is called ‘the goalkeeper’s side,’ like Rice did, and they score, people say, ‘Oh, it’s the goalkeeper’s side.’ But this time, Rice did that against the best goalkeeper in the world, and it was the definition of a perfect free-kick.”

Notably, Rice is just the fourth Arsenal player to score from a direct free-kick in the Champions League, following the likes of Thierry Henry and Bukayo Saka, and the first to do so in a knockout match.

The decrease in free-kick goals has been a growing trend in football, with evidence showing that the number of scored direct free-kicks has declined over the past two decades. The Premier League reported 11 direct free-kick goals in the entirety of last season from 1,246 goals scored overall, marking a stark contrast to the 41 scored during the 2007-08 season.

Green attributed this trend to the introduction of tactics such as the ‘draught excluder’—a player lying behind the wall to block the ball from rolling underneath it. “It makes it harder for the attacker, and goalkeepers are more confident,” Green explained.

Despite the statistical decline, Rice’s magnificent performance proves that exceptional outcomes are still possible in football when combined with individual skill and creativity. “It was just a pure strike, just a thing of absolute perfection and totally unstoppable no matter what the wall is doing,” added Green.

Rice’s emergence in this role underscores both his ability as a midfielder and the unique artistry that can be found in executing a free-kick well. His capabilities might not only be a boon for Arsenal but also inspire a resurgence in the art of free-kick taking in football.