Former England captain and Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has identified Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice as the natural long-term successor to Harry Kane for the national team’s captaincy.
Rooney’s endorsement came after he witnessed Rice’s commanding performance in Arsenal’s gritty 1-0 Premier League victory over Everton on Saturday, a result that returned the Gunners to the top of the table.
Speaking to BBC Sport on Monday, Rooney lauded the 26-year-old’s all-action display and innate leadership qualities. “For me, he’s the one who’s probably waiting for Harry to hang up his boots at some point,” Rooney stated. “His drive and his personality stand out. Everyone who knows him seems to love him.”
Rooney was particularly impressed by Rice’s tactical intelligence and complete midfield performance at Goodison Park. “He was all over the pitch,” he observed. “His decision-making – when to pass it, where to pass it, what foot to pass it to, his detail on his pass – it was a pleasure to watch. He was absolutely incredible.”
“He was splitting centre-backs, taking the ball off [Arsenal’s] centre-backs, acting as a third centre-back, then next minute he’s in the box, trying to score a goal. Sometimes, some of the stuff he does is a bit underrated.”
Concluding his assessment, Rooney emphasized Rice’s indispensable role and captaincy credentials. “He’s the right one to take over [Kane] for me, because of his drive, his personality. Everyone seems to love him, who knows him, who’s close to him. He’s irreplaceable for England.”
The public backing from one of England’s most decorated former captains adds significant weight to the growing consensus around Rice’s potential to lead the national team in the post-Kane era.