West Ham captain and England star Declan Rice surprised children in Kingston as he paid a visit to the Dickerage Sports and Community Centre where his football journey first began.

In partnership with Müller Rice, the 24-year-old midfielder made his shock arrival in a bright red Müller truck over the weekend singing 'Rice, Rice, Baby' into a megaphone, a chant that has become popular amongst the Hammers faithful and a seemingly perfect fit with his sponsorship with the yoghurt and snack brand.

Abandoning their training, excited children from the New Malden centre rushed over to greet the local hero who happily posed for photographs and answered a series of testing questions.

The West Ham skipper was greeted by ecstatic children from the Dickerage Sports Centre in New Malden

Rice revealed his favourite video game (FIFA) and his favourite song (Ice Ice Baby) as well as his favourite West Ham player - Mark Noble, who the Kingston local replaced as captain of the east London club following his retirement at the end of the 2021/22 season.

Fresh from his historic Europa League Conference triumph in Prague, the Hammers skipper also led the beaming children through a series of drills that he did as a child at the very same ground from the age of three.

Rice cheered on the children as they attempted penalties, kicking the ball into the Müller Rice targets, and celebrated their wins with high fives and flying hugs.  

Rice leads kids through their paces

A special moment then followed as the England international was reunited with his mentor at the Dickerage Sports Centre, Daniel Slocombe, who encouraged Rice to pursue football from a young age and showed Rice a wall dedicated to his career, celebrating his success and inspiring those who want to follow in his footsteps.  

Mr Slocombe, who has known Rice since the age of eight, said: "Declan has worked so hard to get where he is. It's amazing to watch him and see that path. Despite all his success, he never forgets where he comes from, and it's wonderful to see his partnership with Müller Rice giving these children an unforgettable experience."

Declan Rice with former mentor Daniel Slocombe from the Dickerage Sports Centre

Reflecting on the day, Rice added: "It's been incredible to come back to Dickerage - I spent a lot of my childhood here. It's been great to see so many old friends and familiar faces and spend time with them. Thanks to Müller for bringing it all together and giving them a day they won't forget."

Lushanthi Edirisooriya, Brand Manager for Müller, concluded by saying: "We are thrilled to have Declan partnering with Müller Rice and it was absolutely brilliant to see him share his enthusiasm for the product with his local community."

A wall at the sports centre dedicated to Rice's career

Rice is now set for a well-deserved summer break following the conclusion of the 2022/23 season and the recent round of Euro 2024 qualifiers. However, the midfielder will be well-aware of the interest he is attracting from top Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Just this morning, news broke that Arsenal are expected to make an improved offer of £90m following their initial bid of £80m plus add-ons rejected by West Ham, who are rumoured to be holding out for a staggering £120m.

For more information on the Dickerage Sports and Community Centre, including the work they carry out in New Malden and across the Kingston borough, visit the link here.