Former Dutch international Wesley Sneijder didnāt hold back in his criticism of Declan Riceās two free kicks against Real Madrid, claiming they werenāt 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.
āI donāt think the free kicks were that impressive,ā Sneijder said. āThis might sound strange, but itās extremely easy to curve a ball like that once you know how to strike it properlyāand trust me, I know all about that.ā
The former Real Madrid and Inter Milan midfielder pointed fingers at Madridās defensive wall, calling it poorly positioned and ineffective. He also criticized Thibaut Courtois, who he believes made a crucial mistake just before Riceās second goal.
āFor the second free kick, you could see Courtois shifting to his right just as Rice was about to take it. That movement cost himāit was a clear mistake by the goalkeeper.ā
While many hailed Riceās efforts as world-class, Sneijderās take offers a different perspectiveāone grounded in technical experience and high-level football insight.