Declan Rice now has chance to do what Thierry Henry failed to achieve at Arsenal

Declan Rice and Arsenal will be confident that 2026 can be a positive year, given the groundwork that has been laid this season already.

Arsenal are predicted to win the Premier League in May, with Mikel Arteta‘s team currently enjoying a six-point advantage over Manchester City and Aston Villa.

The Gunners will begin to attempt to set up their first final of the season on Wednesday, when they take on Chelsea in the first of two legs in the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Arsenal are also among the favourites to win the Champions League, having won all six of their games in the competition so far, while conceding just one goal.

And in the FA Cup, Arsenal beat Portsmouth 4-1 on Sunday, keeping speculative dreams of a historic quadruple alive.

2026 Ballon d’Or early odds bring good news for Declan Rice

No player has ever won the Ballon d’Or while wearing the red of Arsenal. Thierry Henry came closest, finishing second in 2003 to Pavel Nedved and third behind Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluigi Buffon in 2006.

The legendary forward did not win the award following his time with the Gunners, either, although he may look back on 2003 with some anguish.

Arsenal won only the FA Cup in the 2002/03 season – they were pipped to the Premier League title by Manchester United and were knocked out of the Champions League at the second group stage.

Robert Pires‘ goal saw them beat Southampton at the Millennium Stadium for FA Cup glory, but there was disappointment in every competition.

For Henry, however, it was undoubtedly among the best individual careers of his season. The forward netted 24 goals in the Premier League and provided 20 assists – a combined tally not matched across a 38-game season for 20 years.

But the France international, despite excelling in the Champions League as well, found himself second, and, inexplicably, fourth in the following year after an equally impressive season.

Betting on the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner has already begun, and Rice has been handed 8/1 odds by one major bookmaker to do what Henry never could: win it.

He is led by England teammate Harry Kane at 9/2, Erling Haaland (9/2), Lamine Yamal (3/1), and Kylian Mbappe (2/1).

What has Rice said about the Ballon d’Or?

Rice was asked about the early odds that place him in the running for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, and the midfielder was keen to play down such conversations.

“Look, they’re the right conversations to be in,” the England international said. “Arsenal fans really appreciate what I’m doing for them at the minute and it was West Ham fans before that, they were singing my praises.

“When you’re being compared to the best players in the world it’s nice, so long may that continue. It shows you’re playing well, and you want to play at the highest level.”

Should Rice keep performing at the level he currently is, then he will be forced to get used to such conversations.

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