Declan Rice FIFA The Best nomination proves West Ham are on the right track
Arsenal star Declan Rice has been nominated alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe on the 12-man shortlist for FIFA’s The Best Men’s Player award after his performances for West Ham, as shared via the official FIFA website.
The nominees for the award were confirmed on 14 September, with Rice among the star-studded names on the list after he captained West Ham to Europa Conference League glory, their first major trophy in more than 40 years.
Before his £105million switch to Arsenal in the summer transfer window, Rice was named as the UEFA Europa Conference League Player of the Season for his displays as the club triumphed in Prague.
While yes, Rice is an Arsenal player now, and it would go down in history as an Arsenal player having won the award should he pull it off, there should be no doubt that he has been nominated as a result of his stellar performances at the London Stadium.
This nomination has provided further evidence that the Hammers are on the right course, having won major silverware last season, and the club can now use that as a springboard to push on and challenge for further success in the future.
To be on a list joined by the likes of Messi, Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, and to be nominated for his displays for West Ham, should be seen as a huge success not just for Declan Rice but for the club who nurtured him through their youth system.
There should be recognition that Messi will more than likely win the award after his incredible display leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup, but for Rice’s name to be up alongside him is a real success for the ‘Academy of Football’.
The likes of Divin Mubama, who is one of the Hammers’ most talented academy prospects, will look at this as a target to reach, following in Rice’s footsteps to be nominated for such a prestigious personal accolade.
The England international midfielder has proven that this type of success can be reached at West Ham, having come through the academy, and will be a shining light for those looking to make the step up in the near future.
In other West Ham news, Sam Allardyce’s claims have suggested a move to West Ham could be back on.