Kuldeep Yadav salutes Declan Rice with 'Messi ki aatmaa' post after Real Madrid annihilation, Michael Vaughan goes WOW!

Kuldeep Yadav salutes Declan Rice with 'Messi ki aatmaa' post after Real Madrid annihilation (ICC/AP Photos)

Declan Rice's two fantastic freekicks and a striker's finish from Mikel Merino helped Arsenal stun Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at The Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. There was no stopping Rice's opener - which curled around the wall to beat Madrid goalie Thibaut Courtois in the 58th minute, which was his maiden senior goal from a direct free kick.

Rice's second freekick was even better than the first. It curled straight into the top corner in the 70th minute, to leave the 15-times European champions looking stunned. Merino then coolly fired Myles Lewis-Skelly's pull-back into the bottom corner 15 minutes from time, following a pass from substitute Leandro Trossard, to give Arsenal a sizeable lead to take to Madrid next week.

Two special Declan Rice free-kicksLautaro golazoMerino first-time finish @Heineken | #UCLGOTD pic.twitter.com/y8YpK7iC1e
UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 8, 2025

Rice's freekick, particularly the second didn't take long to create a buzz online. Such was his performance that India spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who is currently engaged in the Indian Premier League (IPL), was left in awe. "Declan Rice me Messi ki Aatmaa Aa gyi hai aj," wrote the spinner on X.

Lionel Messi, who used to play for Barcelona, has many such memorable performances against Real Madrid, Barcelona's arch rivals. In fact, Messi's famous jersey celebration in front of Madrid fans during an intense El Clasico remains as one of the most coldest moments in modern football.

Declan Rice me Messi ki Aatmaa Aa gyi hai aj #ARSRMD Kuldeep yadav (@imkuldeep18) April 8, 2025

Apart from Kuldeep, former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan too was left stunned with Rice's breathtaking show. He too took to X and wrote: "Wow .. Declan Rice .."

Wow .. Declan Rice .. Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) April 8, 2025

Declan Rice - 'Just go for it'

Reflecting his thoughts on the freekicks, Rice said: "It's been in the locker, but I've hit the wall too many times or it's gone over the bar. Originally I was going to cross it and then I've just have seen the wall with the goalkeeper's position. I thought ... just go for it."

-with Reuters inputs