There has been this strong argument that in the 2025/26 season, Declan Rice is not better than Casemiro at anything. But when you look closely at the present season and not the past, the conversation becomes different.
No one can take anything away from Casemiro’s legacy. He won five UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid CF in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2022. After moving to Manchester United F.C., he added the EFL Cup, which remains his only major success in England. That record alone places him among the great defensive midfielders of his generation.
But football moves fast, and this season is not about what happened in Madrid years ago.
Softfootball has gathered, In 2025/26, Casemiro plays one to three games in a month, while Rice plays almost every game for Arsenal F.C.. Arsenal are competing seriously for the Premier League and the Champions League, and even pushing in the domestic cups. The pressure is constant, and Rice is absorbing it week in, week out.
When it comes to recovering the ball, Rice looks sharper this season. In advancing the ball from midfield into attacking areas, he appears more progressive. Even in shooting and set-piece situations, the numbers are there for everyone to see. As of 17th February 2026, Casemiro has five goals and two assists, while Rice has four goals and three assists. The difference in numbers is not wide, but the influence in matches feels stronger on Rice’s side.
This is not the same dominant Casemiro of Real Madrid’s peak years. This is the Manchester version, experienced, intelligent, but not as physically overwhelming as before. Meanwhile, Rice is entering his prime and carrying a team fighting on multiple fronts.
Even in earlier comparisons involving Moises Caicedo, the view remained that Rice offers more balance in defending, progressing the ball, scoring and assisting. That does not reduce the quality of others, but it highlights the level Rice is currently performing at.
Casemiro is a legend of the game. His five Champions League titles will always speak for him. But if the debate is strictly about the 2025/26 season, then based on consistency, responsibility and overall impact, Declan Rice has outperformed him so far.
