Arsenal: What Declan Rice needs to do to win Ballon d'Or after Bruno Fernandes FWA snub

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has been told what helium needs to bash to enactment himself successful Ballon d'Or contention aft losing retired to Bruno Fernandes for the FWA Footballer of the Year prize.

Continuing to warrant his £105m terms tag, Rice has been an instrumental fig successful Arsenal's pursuit of Premier League and Champions League glory this season, winning the antheral of the lucifer grant successful Tuesday's 1-0 semi-final second-leg triumph implicit Atletico Madrid.

The 27-year-old has produced 5 goals and 11 assists from 52 appearances this play successful total, but his exploits were not capable to triumph the FWA prize implicit Fernandes, who is 2 assists distant from breaking the all-time Premier League single-season record.

The Manchester United skipper won 28 much votes than Rice, but the Arsenal antheral is the bookies' existent 2nd favourite to triumph the Ballon d'Or, lone down planetary teammate Harry Kane.

However, ex-Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere - speaking exclusively to Sports Mole - has warned Rice that adjacent if helium tin triumph the World Cup and Premier League, helium volition apt suffer retired to a Paris Saint-Germain prima if the Gunners bash not triumph the Champions League.

Jeremie Aliadiere: 'Declan Rice indispensable triumph Champions League to triumph Ballon d'Or'

Asked if Rice would beryllium successful Ballon d'Or contention with a league oregon Champions League title, Aliadiere replied: "He would beryllium yes, but I consciousness the Champions League would beryllium the 1 Dec has to triumph to beryllium considered.

"Otherwise you person [Khvicha] Kvaratskhelia and [Ousmane] Dembele, who some would person won the home league and past Champions League, would some beryllium up of Declan.

"So for Dec to beryllium a large contender, winning the Premier League, Champions League and having a bully World Cup, would decidedly enactment him close successful the premix for sure."

Rice volition travel face-to-face with Kvaratskhelia and Dembele erstwhile Arsenal look PSG successful the Champions League last connected May 30, by which constituent they would person had their Premier League destiny sealed.

The Gunners volition purpose to support oregon summation their five-point pb implicit Manchester City astatine the apical of the Premier League table erstwhile they look West Ham United connected Sunday, by which constituent the Sky Blues could person chopped the spread down to 2 by beating Brentford connected Saturday.

Should Declan Rice person won the FWA prize?

Prior to the 2025-26 award, the erstwhile 3 FWA Footballer of the Year awards had gone to a subordinate who had been instrumental successful their team's Premier League rubric success.

Erling Haaland claimed the prize successful 2023, Phil Foden successful 2024 and Mohamed Salah past year, but winning a squad trophy is not a pre-requisite for an grant celebrating idiosyncratic brilliance.

Michael Carrick's publication cannot spell unnoticed, but Fernandes has inspired a hitherto mean Man United broadside to 3rd spot successful the Premier League array and a coveted spot successful the Champions League.

The Portuguese's originative genius has been connected afloat show this play - evidenced by his 19 assists - portion helium has besides chipped successful with 8 league goals of his own.

There are arguments to beryllium made connected some ends, but with Arsenal stronger than Man Utd successful a corporate sense, it has been easier for Fernandes's idiosyncratic contributions to basal out. 

Jeremie Aliadiere was interviewed by Sports Mole, speaking with Manchester City rubric chances with William Hill.