Declan Rice has already had the first red card of his World Cup – from his own mum.
The Arsenal and England midfielder and some of his team-mates appeared sunburned in promotional shots taken on the eve of the tournament in America.
Now, after England beat Costa Rica in last night’s storm-delayed friendly in Florida, Rice has admitted that he’s been caught out by the weather at the squad’s training base in Tampa.
‘I think everyone has seen those photos,’ laughed Rice. ‘I was bright red in that photo shoot. My mum was killing me!
‘Honestly, the first day we came, it was just getting used to that heat.
‘Coming from England – where it’s hot-cold and all different types of weather – to here where it’s always 30 degrees…it really does hit you in the face.’
Declan Rice revealed his mum told him off after he was left sunburnt ahead of the World Cup
Days after arriving in the US, Rice was already red in places as he posed for official photos
England’s game against Costa Rica was delayed by an hour after a tropical storm struck Orlando two hours before the planned 4pm kick-off.
It’s exactly the kind of thing that could happen once the World Cup gets underway and Rice says England are ready.
‘Yeah definitely,’ he said. ‘We got into the rooms at the hotel before the game and it was bright sunshine. You take a nap and you’re like: “What’s going on here?”
‘The manager said that’s what we are going to face at this tournament because they had it at the Club World Cup last summer, where it’s stop-start.
‘Even in a game, you could be playing 60-65 minutes and the next thing thunder and lightning strikes and you have to come off.
‘So you have to adapt to everything and the manager has made us fully aware of that.
‘It was only an hour’s difference this time so it wasn’t too much but it was good to get a taste of it.
‘We’re adapting to everything.’
Rice is coming off a long season with new Premier League champions Arsenal and has had to balance the euphoria of that achievement with the disappointment of defeat to PSG in the Champions League final ten days ago.
‘I think it’s been more mentally tough than physically,’ he said.
‘Even though I have played so many games, the emotions you go through on a football pitch are ridiculous.
‘Trying to win the Premier League and obviously winning it, and then to lose the final.
‘You’re up and down constantly, trying to adapt. And then full focus turns to the World Cup.
‘It’s hard to think about the World Cup in season because you have so many big games but when you actually get here it’s when it starts to hit you.
‘So I’m happy I didn’t think about it too much ahead and obviously now I have come here with a fresh mind, ready to go.
Jordan Pickford and Elliot Anderson also caught the sun during England’s early days in Florida
‘I feel good as gold. I feel really fit, really strong. I had a couple of niggles throughout the season which I managed really well with the physios and the manager so I’ve come here in a really good place.
‘I feel really confident. I think winning that Premier League means I have come here with a sense of confidence and a spring in my step.
‘Now I have got over that line with Arsenal it has given me that confidence that we can come here and achieve big things as well.
‘I’m really in a good place at the moment.’
