Declan Rice has revealed his surprise after receiving a private message from David Beckham following his stunning free-kick display against Real Madrid in last season's Champions League. The Arsenal midfielder scored twice from set-pieces in the 5-1 aggregate victory over the European champions, leaving goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with no chance.
Speaking to The Sun, Rice said: 'He [Beckham] messaged me on Instagram about it. That was crazy, because he had some of the biggest moments ever with free-kicks.' The England international admitted he was in awe of the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star, describing him as 'a god' when they first met in Qatar.
Rice, who had never scored a free-kick in his career before that night, explained his approach to set-pieces: 'When I put the ball down, it's just all about feel. It's knowing where you're going to put the ball, how much pace you're going to put on it. People might go: How do you know that? You've got to go off instinct.'
The 25-year-old, who grew up idolising Beckham and owned his Real Madrid shirt as a child, said the achievement still felt surreal. 'I don't know whether it will ever sink in,' he told Amazon Prime after the match. 'To score my first free-kick in a game is a special one. And then when I got the second one... I just had the confidence.'
