Former Dutch international Wesley Sneijder didn’t hold back in his criticism of Declan Rice’s two free kicks against Real Madrid, claiming they weren’t as impressive as many fans believe. Despite the praise Rice has received for his striking technique, Sneijder brushed off the hype, suggesting the goals were more a result of defensive and goalkeeping errors than brilliance from the Arsenal midfielder.
“I don’t think the free kicks were that impressive,” Sneijder said. “This might sound strange, but it’s extremely easy to curve a ball like that once you know how to strike it properly—and trust me, I know all about that.”
The former Real Madrid and Inter Milan midfielder pointed fingers at Madrid’s defensive wall, calling it poorly positioned and ineffective. He also criticized Thibaut Courtois, who he believes made a crucial mistake just before Rice’s second goal.
“For the second free kick, you could see Courtois shifting to his right just as Rice was about to take it. That movement cost him—it was a clear mistake by the goalkeeper.”
While many hailed Rice’s efforts as world-class, Sneijder’s take offers a different perspective—one grounded in technical experience and high-level football insight.
