In the world of football, there are always debates about who is the best player in a particular position. Recently, England international Kalvin Phillips has weighed in on the ongoing discussion between Arsenal's Declan Rice and Manchester City's Rodri. According to him, Rodri edges out Rice as one of the best midfielders currently playing in the Premier League.
Declan Rice and his Manchester City counterpart, Rodri, are two of the most highly regarded players globally. Their performances have often sparked debates among fans about who is currently superior.
Phillips has had first-hand experience with both players - he established a solid partnership with Declan Rice during their time together with England at the European Championship 2021. On club level, he played alongside Manchester City midfielder Rodri who is currently on loan at Ipswich Town.
Experience of playing both players
Phillips recently revealed that he ranks Spaniard midfielder Rodri ahead of his English teammate Declan Rice. Despite acknowledging that both are exceptional talents, he believes that some factors give an edge to Man City star over Arsenal midfielder.
Kalvin Phillips, England midfielder, said:
“Dec is unbelievable, Obviously when I first trained with him at England, I could tell he was a player that would go…
“He is not just an athlete. I didn’t expect him to be so tall, so strong. When I got there I was just gobsmacked by how well he was with the ball, how quickly he covered ground and how much he covered ground, and obviously I love Declan a lot.”
Rodri has been slightly more impressive since joining Manchester City from Atletico Madrid back in 2019 compared to when Declan joined Arsenal from West Ham United in 2023 summer transfer window. His performances for both club and country have put him as a favourite contender for being named among top three finalists at this year’s Ballon d’Or awards ceremony later this month.
Furthermore, his instrumental role helped Spain win Euros 2024 against England and also aided Man City secure last season’s Premier League title against Arsenal.
The future for both players
While it seems like Phillips leans towards favouring Rodri over Rice right now due to his recent achievements, he also acknowledges that Rice is not far behind. At just 25 years old, the Arsenal star has what it takes to be widely considered as one of the best in his position going forward.
However, for Rice to solidify this status, Phillips suggests that he may need to win major trophies for both club and country. Helping Arsenal secure their first Premier League title since 2004 this season could be a significant step towards achieving this goal.
While Rodri currently holds the edge according to Kalvin Phillips' ranking of Premier League midfielders, Declan Rice is hot on his heels and could soon surpass him with continued impressive performances and some major wins under his belt.
