A lively debate has emerged around Declan Rice’s long-term legacy following a recent episode of Rio Ferdinand’s podcast, where guest Joel Beya suggested the Arsenal midfielder could eventually surpass Steven Gerrard’s career in terms of trophies.
The discussion has sparked strong reactions, especially given Gerrard’s iconic status and Arsenal’s mixed history with silverware. Rice’s growing influence at Arsenal has already drawn widespread praise, with Mikel Arteta previously stating he believes the midfielder can enter the Ballon d’Or conversation if Arsenal achieve sustained success, as reported by SoftFootball.
Beya’s argument was rooted in opportunity rather than past achievement. He pointed to Rice’s current environment at Arsenal, a side consistently competing at the top end of the Premier League and in Europe, as a platform that could support a strong trophy haul over time.
Rice’s importance to Arsenal has been underlined repeatedly this season, including standout performances across multiple roles, with Arteta recently hailing his impact and leadership, a theme covered by SoftFootball.
Explaining his stance in a video shared by the Rio Ferdinand Presents official X account, Beya acknowledged Gerrard’s greatness while stressing that Rice’s situation could lead to greater collective success.
He said:
By the end of his career it won’t be crazy to say he’s had a better career than Gerrard.
He then added context to that claim, noting:
He’s coming in a zone now where it’s not, by the end of his career, it won’t be crazy to say he’s had a better career than Gerrard or he’s had a, do you see what I mean? Like, and that says a lot considering the fact that, no, Stephen Gerrard’s my favourite. Like, he really is my favourite, but it’s, it’s, Declan’s at a team where he’s got a chance where he could end up with more trophies and internationally as well. So, man.
Rio Ferdinand was quick to challenge the idea, grounding the conversation in present-day reality.
He responded by saying:
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I agree with a lot of what you said there, but you’re saying he’s got a chance to end up with a lot more trophies.
After Beya clarified his comparison was specifically to Steven Gerrard, Ferdinand pushed back further.
He said:
Yeah, but he’s not won a trophy at Arsenal yet.
When Beya attempted to continue, Ferdinand cut in again with a pointed reminder:
Arsenal are not renowned for winning trophies.
Watch the video below:
As of December 2025, the contrast between the two careers remains stark. Rice, now 26, has won one major trophy, the 2023 Europa Conference League with West Ham. By the same age, Gerrard had already secured eight trophies, including the 2001 UEFA Cup and the 2003 FA Cup.
While Rice continues to earn elite-level praise, even from rival managers such as Enzo Maresca who has described him as a complete player, also noted by SoftFootball, the debate highlights how speculative comparisons can be when history and silverware are weighed against future potential.
