What Declan Rice was doing as Arsenal won the Premier League title » Saka laughed at him: 'Hilarious!'
Article by Alexandru Tomuțiu – Published Sunday, May 24, 2026, 7:23 p.m. / Updated Sunday, May 24, 2026, 7:23 p.m.
Declan Rice (27, midfielder) has revealed the incredible pressure he felt as Arsenal waited for Manchester City to make a breakthrough in their 0-0 draw with Bournemouth and give the Gunners their first Premier League title in 22 years.
The England international admitted he had to walk away from his Arsenal team-mates because he simply couldn't bear to watch the outcome on TV.
Declan Rice strolled around the base as Arsenal won the Premier League title
While most of Arsenal's squad were glued to the screens at London Colney training ground, Rice had a completely different approach to the final moments of the title race.
The Gunners midfielder revealed that the nerves became so unbearable during Manchester City's decider against Bournemouth that he had to take a long walk around the pitch to keep his composure.
PHOTO GALLERY. The hottest memes after Arsenal won the Premier League title
“I got Pete from security and for the first 40 minutes we went around every pitch possible. We talked about all sorts of things. Then we heard a scream so we went back inside for the first goal. I said, let's go again.
On the way I told everyone “Go back to the same places”. And then we came back literally five minutes before the end and everything was ready, but I just couldn't watch,” said Declan Rice, according to sportal.rs.
Bukayo Saka described his teammate's gesture as funny, with a comical message: “this man must have run 12 laps around the training center. We were all watching TV. He couldn't watch. It was hilarious.”
An emotional moment for Declan Rice
Rice was arriving at Arsenal in 2023 and described the feeling of winning the Premier League as incredibly emotional as the club had waited 22 years to relive that atmosphere.
“Exciting. It's been 22 years. Saka's been here since the beginning. He's been an Arsenal boy since, what, six? Seven years? So for him, God knows how it feels. And as for me, I've been here for three years and I've had three narrow defeats in the title race.
So now to win with this team, that's why I came to this club. I knew we were going to win. I just knew. I felt something good about this club, these players and the direction it was going,” Rice said.
