Disappointing Champions League exit 'only the beginning' for Arsenal, claims Rice

Declan Rice, England's midfielder, was seen walking past the trophy after his team's loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on May 30, 2026.

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Rice remains optimistic that Arsenal will eventually conquer Europe, despite the heartbreak of losing the Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties, as the Gunners have never been crowned champions of Europe but came closer than ever before in Budapest.

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Kai Havertz initially gave the Premier League winners an early lead, but Ousmane Dembele's second-half penalty brought PSG level, leading to a penalty shootout that the French side won 4-3 after Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes failed to hit the target with their spot-kicks.

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Rice expressed his thoughts on the team's progress, saying "I think we've come really far and this is only the start for this group," and noted that winning the Premier League was a dream come true, but this loss was not the end of their journey.

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He emphasized the team's continuous growth, mentioning that since he joined the club, they have progressed from a Champions League quarter-final exit to a semi-final, and now a final, and they will keep building and staying positive.

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Paris Saint-Germain, under Luis Enrique, has become the second side in the Champions League era to defend the trophy, after years of struggling to achieve success despite significant investment from their Qatari owners.

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Rice cited PSG as an example that Arsenal can follow, saying "They've lost loads over the years and obviously now they're having their time," and believes that Arsenal will also experience their time of success after enduring small losses.

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He added that the team will continue to push and try to achieve something big, saying "We have these small losses, but we're going to go on and keep pushing to try and achieve something big."