Arsenal hero Declan Rice joins Cristiano Ronaldo & Neymar in exclusive Champions League club after putting on free-kick masterclass against Real Madrid

Rice delivered a breathtaking performance in Arsenal’s 3-0 Champions League quarter-final first leg win over Real Madrid, carving his name into European football history. The England international fired Arsenal ahead with a curling effort that left Thibaut Courtois rooted, and just minutes later, unleashed a second rocket into the top-right corner - again giving the Madrid goalkeeper no chance.

With his two stunning set-pieces, Rice joined an exclusive group of footballing icons as he became only the fifth player in Champions League history to score two free-kicks in a single match - after Ronaldo, Neymar, Rivaldo, and Hakim Ziyech. What makes Rice's achievement even more remarkable is that he’s the first to accomplish this feat against Real Madrid, the most decorated club in the competition’s history.

Arsenal didn’t stop at Rice’s brace. With a quarter of an hour left on the clock, Mikel Merino added a third goal with a composed low finish from the edge of the area, finding the bottom corner to cap off a truly dominant display. Madrid entered the tie as reigning champions and clear favourites to at least take something back to the Santiago Bernabeu. Instead, they now find themselves needing a major turnaround to avoid an early exit from a tournament they’ve won 15 times.

Arsenal last reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2009, and while they made it to the quarter-finals last season, this performance feels different - confident, clinical, and historic. While their hopes of reclaiming the Premier League title may be fading, as they trail Liverpool by 11 points, this European campaign has suddenly taken on a life of its own. With such momentum, belief is growing that the Gunners could go all the way and finally lift the Champions League trophy for the first time in their history.