Thiago Alcantara knows a thing or two about being an elite midfielder.
The Spaniard retired in 2024 after an injury-laden spell at Liverpool, but when fit, he was one of the most technically gifted midfielders of his generation.
He was such an elegant midfield presence, so incredibly press-resistant and capable of dictating the tempo of any match from deep.
Thiago won the Champions League twice, first with Barcelona where Pep Guardiola handed him his debut, and then with Bayern Munich, where he also won seven consecutive Bundesliga titles.
👀 NAME a BETTER midfield target for Arsenal than Ayyoub Bouaddi… I bet you CAN’T…
🌟 The 18-year-old looked so good vs Brazil's at the World Cup!
On the international stage, he earned 46 caps for Spain.
Thiago Alcantara picks Arsenal midfielder in his dream midfield three
Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents, Thiago was asked to select his best midfield trio from players active today. He went with Pedri, Vitinha, and Declan Rice.
Justifying his selection of Rice, Thiago said, “He’s so smart and he has the desire to be a better player. So if you say to him ‘You have to be better in this’, he will do everything that is in his hands to be better in that.
“And you see him playing, going, receiving, driving to the box — he has everything.”
Thiago’s glowing praise comes shortly after a similarly decorated midfielder in Ilkay Gundogan named Rice in his World Cup best XI.
Notably, he picks the Arsenal man over Jude Bellingham, who has been the standout midfield performer of England’s World Cup campaign so far.
Thiago, like Gunners fans, clearly knows what Rice is truly capable of when fully fit and sharp.
Right now, playing through what has been described as “terrible pain,” he is not quite operating at his best level.
A BBC reporter described Rice as looking “absolutely frazzled” after the DR Congo win, and he has been visibly managing discomfort throughout the tournament.
There has even been debate about whether he should be deployed at right-back against Mexico, though he is expected to start in his natural midfield position.
When Rice is fully fit and operating at his ceiling, he is the best midfielder in the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal fans will be watching Sunday’s game against Mexico with one eye on the result and another on making sure he comes through unscathed.
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