Declan Rice could never have dreamed this. Almost a decade after being released as a teenager by Chelsea, West Ham’s captain and talisman has the fairytale ending he so dearly craved.
Until Jarrod Bowen’s dramatic late winning goal that prompted David Moyes to embark on a David Pleat‑esque jig across the turf at the Eden Arena, winning a first major European trophy since the days of Bobby Moore and company in 1965 had seemed the least likely scenario against Fiorentina. The Italian side dominated possession thanks to the outstanding Sofyan Amrabat despite falling behind to Saïd Benrahma’s penalty. But it is a testament to the spirit Moyes and Rice have created among this group of players that West Ham simply refused to give in. Now they have their reward.
