Declan Rice has revealed why he refused to celebrate after scoring England’s opening goal in their 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland.
The Arsenal midfielder put England ahead in the 11th minute at the Aviva Stadium with a shot into the top right corner from 12 yards. However, the 25-year-old chose not to celebrate, instead raising both hands towards the Irish fans. Rice had previously represented Ireland three times before changing his international allegiance to England in 2018.
However, some fans criticized his choice not to celebrate, particularly since former Ireland U21 player Jack Grealish did celebrate when he scored England’s second goal.
Rice has clarified his decision, explaining why he chose not to celebrate his goal and also declined to take on the England captaincy after Harry Kane’s substitution in the 84th minute.
He told beIN Sports, “It was an amazing feeling, but I wasn’t going to celebrate. I have Irish family, and since my nan and grandad are no longer here, celebrating would have felt disrespectful to them. My dad was also in the stands. Scoring was great, but I just wanted to focus on the game and try to score more goals. So, overall, it was a positive experience.”
Grealish, on the other hand, mentioned he had “nothing bad whatsoever” to say about Ireland in his post-match interview. He told ITV Sport, “I mentioned before the game that Dec and I have nothing negative to say… we both enjoyed our time here, and I certainly did. I have a lot of Irish heritage, so there’s no animosity from my side. Not being selected for Euro 2024 was one of the toughest summers of my life, but it’s strengthened my resolve.”
