Declan Rice Channels Messi Magic: Two Free-Kick Stunners Crush Real Madrid in Champions League Masterclass

In a night packed with Champions League history, a new star stood atop the European stage—not with flair, but with ferocity. Declan Rice, the heart of Arsenal’s midfield, delivered two breathtaking free-kick goals to demolish Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of the quarterfinals at the Emirates.

It wasn’t just a dominant win. It was a performance that left fans speechless, defenders clueless, and even Thibaut Courtois—a two-meter-tall shot-stopping machine—powerless. And behind the thunderbolts and the tactical masterclass lay a personal connection that made it all the more poetic: Declan Rice, the man who dismantled Real Madrid, has long been a devoted fan of Lionel Messi—Madrid’s greatest tormentor.

Arsenal’s Statement Victory: A Night to Remember in North London

From the first whistle, Arsenal came out flying. Energized by a raucous crowd at the Emirates, Mikel Arteta’s side pressed high, passed sharply, and punished Madrid’s every mistake. The Gunners created chance after chance, but it was Courtois—returning from injury—who kept the scoreline respectable in the early exchanges.

That is, until Declan Rice stepped up. Twice. With magic.

The first came like thunder in the 32nd minute. Awarded a free kick just outside the box on the left channel, Rice eyed the far post. His strike—a banana-curved missile—whipped around the wall with devastating swerve, nestling into the top left corner. The Emirates exploded. Courtois never moved. It was a carbon copy of Roberto Carlos’ legendary free-kick against France in 1997—only this time, it was in red and white, not yellow and green.

The second? Even better.

In the 57th minute, Arsenal won another free kick, this time dead-center, 25 yards out. Rice, cool and composed, stepped up and bent the ball over the wall with precision, watching it kiss the top right corner before hitting the net. Courtois dived at full stretch, fingertips outstretched—but the ball had already flown past. 2-0.

By the time Arsenal added a third through Bukayo Saka’s blistering counterattack, Madrid looked beaten, broken, and bewildered. But make no mistake: it was Declan Rice’s boots that delivered the knockout blows.

Two Free-Kicks, One Masterpiece: How Rare Is This?

To score a free-kick goal against Real Madrid is impressive.

To score two in one Champions League knockout match? That’s historic.

Since the modern Champions League era began, only a select few have bagged a brace of direct free kicks in a single game—and even fewer against a defense as elite as Madrid's. Not even Messi, in his prime, managed that against Los Blancos.

But now Declan Rice has, and in doing so, he etched his name into an elite class of technical maestros. The Gunners’ midfield general, known more for tackles and interceptions, showcased flair, technique, and finesse that had the Emirates crowd singing his name in awe.

The Messi Connection: A Fan Turned Artist

As soon as the second goal hit the net, social media lit up. Not just because Rice had sunk Real Madrid—but because of who he idolized growing up.

Declan Rice isn’t just a great footballer. He’s a longtime Messi fanboy, and fans were quick to dig up six old tweets that paint a picture of admiration bordering on worship.

• April 24, 2017:
  “Messi’s celebration is like a wave.”
  That night, Messi scored a 92nd-minute winner at the Santiago Bernabéu, lifting his jersey to silence the Madrid crowd after a dramatic 3-2 El Clásico win. Rice, then 18, was watching like every other football-loving teen—spellbound.

• March 18, 2019:
  “Even the Betis fans are applauding… Messi, from another planet. The GOAT.”
  Messi had just delivered one of his finest performances—scoring a hat-trick, including an audacious chip, prompting Real Betis fans to rise and applaud the genius that had just dismantled them.

• April 18, 2021:
  “Messi’s goal… just unreal. The greatest ever.”
  A reference to Messi's mesmerizing solo goal in the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao, where he weaved past defenders like cones in training and slotted home with ease.

• December 19, 2022 (2 tweets):
  “Messi. The greatest of all time.”
  “We’ll never see another player like him again.”
  These came the day after Argentina lifted the World Cup in Qatar. Messi had finally conquered the one mountain left, and Rice, like millions of fans around the world, celebrated as if it were his own.

For a player who now stares down Madrid in their own game—and beats them at it—there’s a beautiful symmetry in being inspired by the man who did it best for over a decade.

The Celebration That Echoed the Past

Perhaps the most powerful image of the night wasn’t even one of the goals. It was Rice, arms outstretched, standing atop the advertising boards behind the Madrid goal, soaking in the roar of the Emirates.

It was pure theater. A moment frozen in time.

And it drew immediate comparisons to Messi’s iconic “king of Madrid” celebration after his 2017 El Clásico winner, where he held up his jersey to the stunned Bernabéu crowd in silent defiance.

Rice didn’t raise a shirt—but he didn’t need to. The posture, the presence, and the “I’ve arrived” aura said it all.

It wasn’t imitation. It was homage.

A Masterclass Beyond Goals

But Rice wasn’t just a set-piece specialist on the night. He dominated every inch of midfield. He tackled, passed, intercepted, and organized like a general in red armor. His battle with Jude Bellingham—a duel of England’s present and future—was won emphatically.

And he did it all with elegance. His pass completion? 91%. Ball recoveries? 9. Key passes? 3. Fouls drawn? Countless.

If this was his audition to be the best box-to-box midfielder in the world, he just got the role.

Madrid Left Dazed, Arsenal on the Brink of Glory

For Real Madrid, it was a rare humiliation. The most decorated team in Europe simply had no answer. Vinícius Jr. was isolated. Kroos and Modrić looked pedestrian. Bellingham, their new talisman, was shackled by Rice and Partey. And Courtois, though brilliant at times, couldn’t defy physics forever.

Arsenal, on the other hand, now have one foot in the semifinals—a place they haven’t visited since the Wenger days. But with this kind of performance, they look like more than just semifinalists.

They look like contenders.

A Messi Fanboy No More—Just a New Kind of Genius

Declan Rice may have once tweeted admiration for Messi, may have once looked up to him, studied him, and dreamed of emulating him.

But after this night—this historic night—he doesn’t have to look up anymore.

He stood tall, just like his idol, delivering a masterpiece under the Champions League lights. And for 90 minutes, Declan Rice didn’t just wear Arsenal red—he wore greatness.

Messi would’ve smiled.