Rice reveals why he quit X: 'It ruins your whole day'
Declan Rice has opened up about stepping back from social media, revealing that online abuse aimed at him and his partner played a major part in his decision to quit X altogether.
The Arsenal and England midfielder has faced online abuse in the past, with his long term partner Lauren Fryer also targeted over her appearance, something that led her to wipe all posts from her Instagram page back in 2024. While Rice still uses Instagram, he walked away from X three years ago.
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Speaking to GQ Magazine after being named among their Men of the Year, Rice explained the toll negativity online can take. “I've not been back on the app since,” he said. “You could be having a great morning. You read one thing, and it just ruins your whole day. I feel like that's one of my strongest points... the ability to block out noise and not deal with that kind of stuff.”
Concerns for the next generation
Rice, who has a four year old son called Jude with Fryer, also spoke about the wider impact social media could have on younger people growing up immersed in it.
“Screen time, for me, isn't a big thing,” he said. “I think social media for kids is 100 per cent a problem. I don't feel like there's as much personality now as there was a few years ago.”
The 27 year old also touched on football's finances, with the Daily Mail reporting last month that he is closing in on a new long term deal at Arsenal worth around £350,000 per week, which would put him on a level footing with Bukayo Saka at the top of the club's wage list.
“The money that's in football as a whole is just ridiculous,” Rice told GQ. “It's important to understand what things cost, even if you don't have to worry about paying for them. You still want to teach your kid values, not wanting them to be spoiled. You want them to work and to understand the value of life and money. It makes you more comfortable to be able to do things. But I don't wake up and think, 'Oh, I've got loads of money', it's not the end goal.”
Focus turns to England duty
Rice's attention now shifts to international duty, with England hosting Croatia in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday before travelling to face World Cup champions Spain the following Sunday.
He goes into the break in fine form, with Arsenal sitting six points clear at the top of the Premier League after 10 matches. The midfielder will return to north London once international fixtures conclude, with his new contract situation expected to be a continuing talking point in the coming weeks.
