Declan Rice could now do something that has happened just once at Arsenal before

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Arsenal star Declan Rice is in line to win a major award.

The England international has been incredible for the Gunners since he made his club-record move to the Emirates Stadium in 2023.

Rice has consistently been brilliant in all phases of the game, but his stock went to a whole new level after his outstanding brace against Real Madrid in the Champions League last season.

That has now earned him a chance to enter the history books.

Declan Rice could follow Olivier Giroud and win the FIFA Puskas Award

The FIFA Puskas Award is given to the player who has scored the most aesthetically significant or most beautiful goal of the calendar year.

The award has been up for grabs since 2009, and big names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have won it in the past.

Former Tottenham Hotspur star Erik Lamela received the Puskas trophy for his goal against Arsenal in the Premier League in 2021.

Olivier Giroud is the only Arsenal player who has won the award in history, but Declan Rice could follow in his footsteps now.

The Englishman’s second free-kick against Real Madrid last season has been nominated for the Puskas Award alongside 10 other great goals.

The other popular name in contention to win the trophy this year is Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal for his strike against Espanyol.

Watch all the nominated goals for the Puskas Award by clicking on the post below:

One famous Arsenal goal didn’t even get nominated for the Puskas Award

Arsenal have scored many incredible goals over the years, but Giroud’s scorpion kick was the only strike that won the Puskas Award.

Emmanuel Adebayor’s stunner against Villarreal and Samir Nasri’s sensational goal against Porto received nominations but failed to take the top spot.

One goal, however, was not even nominated – Jack Wilshere’s strike against Norwich City in 2013.

Arsene Wenger described Wilshere’s goal as one of the best he had seen at Arsenal, but the decision-makers at FIFA didn’t even nominate it for the Puskas Award.

Ibrahimovic won the trophy that year for his outrageous bicycle kick for Sweden against England, and it would be harsh to say that he didn’t deserve it.

However, the fact that Wilshere’s goal didn’t even get a nomination was just a real shame.