Declan Rice revealed the heartfelt meaning behind his celebration during Arsenal's 2-0 victory at Burnley on Saturday, dedicating his goal to his beloved aunt Bev who died in October.
The England midfielder fell to his knees and pointed towards the sky after scoring Arsenal's second goal with a powerful header in the 35th minute.
His aunt, who passed away before Arsenal's match against Fulham on October 18, had been a devoted supporter throughout his career.
She regularly travelled across the country alongside Rice's mother to watch him play, making her presence a constant source of support at his matches.
Declan Rice paid tribute to his auntie who passed away last month
|REUTERS
Speaking after the match at Turf Moor, Rice opened up about the emotional tribute. "My auntie passed away before the Fulham game. I loved her to death," he told Premier League Productions.
"She travelled everywhere to watch me with my mum. I know she's watching down so that was for her today."
The 26-year-old's celebration saw him drop to his knees whilst pointing both hands skyward, a gesture that immediately followed his headed goal from Leandro Trossard's cross.
It was a touching moment that revealed the personal loss behind what appeared to be a routine goal celebration.
Rice shared his emotions on Instagram after the match, posting a photograph of himself embracing his aunt at the Emirates Stadium.
"That was for you today Bev, I know you are looking down on me! Love you forever," he wrote alongside the image, adding a heart emoji.
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The goal itself came from a swift Arsenal counter-attack that began with Gabriel winning possession from a Burnley long throw.
Rice continued his run forward and met Trossard's delivery with a powerful header that doubled Arsenal's advantage after Viktor Gyokeres had opened the scoring.
"I was like a traditional number nine!" Rice said afterwards, describing his striker's instinct during the move.
Declan Rice took to social media to reveal a touching tribute to his auntie
|Arsenal's triumph at Turf Moor extended their winning streak to nine matches across all competitions, with the team sitting eight points clear at the Premier League summit.
Rice spoke about his sharp focus this season, telling Arsenal's official website: "I'm so focused on and off the pitch. Every weekend I know how important it is to win football matches."
Manager Mikel Arteta praised Rice's display, noting how the midfielder "stepped up" and "won I don't know how many balls and tackles."
The Gunners now turn their attention to Tuesday's Champions League clash with Slavia Prague, hoping to make it ten wins on the bounce.