World Cup: Declan Rice pays a visit to his ‘incredible’ mural at an Essex pub
PICTURED: Declan Rice delights an Essex pub landlord by visiting his ‘incredible’ World Cup mural before flying out to Qatar with England… but the regulars wanted Harry Kane up on the wall instead!
- The West Ham midfielder went to see the mural at the Kings Arms in Orsett
- Rice turned up in his tracksuit just hours after his side’s defeat to Leicester
- The pub’s landlord, a West Ham fan, said he ‘couldn’t believe’ Rice had visited
- Rice is sure to be a starter for Gareth Southgate at the World Cup in Qatar
England World Cup star Declan Rice has paid a surprise late night visit to see a mural painted in his honour on the wall of an Essex pub.
The West Ham captain turned up in his tracksuit after his team’s defeat to Leicester City on Saturday evening.
The landlord of The Kings Arms in Orsett Dan Morgan told MailOnline: ‘I was collecting some glasses from an outside table when I saw a young lad in a tracksuit, looking at the wall.
‘He’d parked his car opposite, and walked across, and was looking at it closely.
‘I went up to him and said hello, and asked him whether he liked it, and when he turned around, I saw that it was Declan Rice and I said ‘Oh my God!’
Declan Rice has paid a visit to a mural dedicated to him on the walls of a pub in Essex
‘I couldn’t believe it. I knew that he had just been playing at the London Stadium as I’m a West Ham fan and I knew the score, although I didn’t ask him about it as we’d lost.
‘He said he just wanted to see it as he had heard so much about it. I was really grateful.
‘Dec said that he was leaving and joining the party on Monday and probably wouldn’t have any other time to see it. He really liked it.
‘He even signed it for the local artist Richie Hughes which was great and he asked me to take a couple of pictures of him in front it it with his phone.
‘Luckily, I didn’t tell him that some of the regulars had been asking for a mural to support the England team and had suggested Harry Kane.
‘But that was never gonna happen because I’m a West Ham fan!’
Mr Morgan added: ‘It was almost 8pm and he’d come straight from the match.
‘When you think his pictures are going to be everywhere and on the TV during the World Cup, it shows what a grounded and humble player he is. I am really chuffed.’
West Ham midfielder Rice is set to be a regular starter at the World Cup under manager Gareth Southgate
Rice, 23, posted the pictures Mr Morgan took of him in front of the 25-feet wide mural on social media and said: ‘I had to go and see this . . . Incredible.
‘Thanks for all your support. Can’t wait to get there.
‘Never thought I’d have a mural of me! So I had to go and see it in person last night.’
The footballer, set to be a sure starter in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup team, signed his messages off with a heart emoji and one of the England flag.
Artist Richey Hughes said: ‘I heard it was Declan’s childhood dream to have a mural of him and I am honoured to be able to do that, particularly as I am a West Ham fan.
‘Let’s hope we do well over the next four weeks and it becomes really popular and if we lose people don’t deface it and still appreciate it.
‘I suppose I might have to put something over his signature to protect it. I might take it and re-erect it in my garden after the World Cup.’
Mr Hughes, 48, a theatre lyricist whose work has been Olivier-nominated, said he and his friends had released a song on Spotify called ‘Stick another star on It’ with proceeds going to the foundation set-up in the name of the late England striker Jeff Astle.
England kick-off their World Cup campaign against Iran next Monday and then face Wales and the US in their other matches in Group B.
