2026-05-30 11:30:13

Declan Rice considers himself to be a “big-game player”.

The midfielder will hope to play a key role for Arsenal as they take on PSG in the Champions League final in Budapest on Saturday (30.05.26) and believes that he and his team-mates are capable of helping the Gunners to conquer Europe for the first time.

Rice told UEFA.com: “I would like to say I’m a big-game player. When you play in the biggest competitions, you need your players to step up at every point, and not only just me.

“I think our team have done that over the last few years in big games – we’ve stepped up, especially in the Champions League. There’s a few of us that have got that in us, and we’re going to need that going into the final as well.

“In football, you can’t determine before the game whether you’re going to play well or not. It’s the unknown. But what you can control is how you start the game off, how (much) confidence you can build within yourself. And whether that’s with your first touch, a tackle, a header, always do the first thing right, and you build from here.”

Arsenal will look to avenge last season’s semi-final loss to PSG in the showpiece and Rice says the team must bring their “A game” if they are to dethrone the defending champions.

The England international said: “PSG are a really good side. (We) played them over two legs last year. It could have gone either way, so speaking about it now, may the best team win.

“What did we learn from last season’s semi-final defeat? That you’ve got to take your chances, because we had plenty of them. It wasn’t meant to be, but it’s (those) moments that set you up for the moments that are coming. We’ll be ready.”

Rice continued: “You need to be on your A game to beat PSG. You need that fuel in your belly from the first whistle, that you’re going to win this final.

“It’s the biggest competition in football. Champions League final, it gets no bigger than that. What a chance, what an opportunity.

“It’ll be the last kick of club football for the season, so to go out on a high and give it absolutely everything, one last empty of the tank and give it everything you’ve got to win such a beautiful trophy with this club.”

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