‘He messaged me’ - Declan Rice revealed Beckham reached out after scoring two freekicks against Madrid

The midfielder has gotten a reputation for being a set-piece specialist after his two remarkable free kicks against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.

Last season, Arsenal knocked out 15-time Champions League winner Real Madrid in the quarter-final, defeating them home and away.

However, it was not the win that got the headline, but two special free kicks from Rice in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium.

The performance caught the eye of the Manchester United legend himself, who reached out to the Arsenal star.

"He messaged me on Instagram about it," Rice revealed. "That was crazy, because he had some of the biggest moments ever with free kicks. 

“I remember the first time I met Beckham was in Qatar. We all approached him. Every player was like, he was a god, you know, because it’s Becks."

Discussing his own technique, Rice explained it's about intuition. "When I put the ball down for a set piece, it’s just all about feel. 

“It’s knowing where you’re going to put the ball, how much pace you’re going to put on it. People might go: ‘How do you know that?’ You’ve got to go off instinct. 

“I know it can cause chaos, but it’s one of our strengths. Let’s keep it going because it’s been really good for us this year."

With the Gunners edging closer to winning their first Premier League title in 33 years, they face a difficult fixture against Chelsea at the Emirates on Sunday.