Declan Rice has admitted he ended up in hot water with his mum after getting badly sunburnt at England’s World Cup camp in Florida.
The Arsenal midfielder has come through one of the most dramatic seasons of his career, winning the Premier League title before suffering heartbreak in the Champions League final.
Rice looked rather flushed in the snaps (Credit: Ron Smits/London Ent / SplashNews.com)
Declane Rice’s viral moment didn’t go down well with his mum
After an extended break, Rice joined up with Thomas Tuchel’s England squad and quickly settled back in. But the fierce Florida heat caught him out.
Rice appeared noticeably red in England’s official World Cup photos and laughed as he explained the reaction at home.
“I think everyone has seen those photos, I was bright red in that photo shoot. My mum was killing me!
“You know you have done too much when the sunburn comes.”
The 27-year-old did not let the heat affect his performance. He marked his return for England by scoring his seventh international goal in a comfortable 3-0 win over Costa Rica.
England then headed back to West Palm Beach before a behind-closed-doors game against local side Miami United, a semi-professional team that competes at roughly fourth-tier level in the United States.
Rice opens up on brutal heat
Rice said adapting to the conditions in America took some getting used to after leaving behind the changeable weather in England.
“Honestly, the first day we came, it was just getting used to that heat. Coming from England where it’s hot-cold, all different types of weather, coming here and it’s always 30 degrees – it really does hit you in the face. After that week off, the first session was a bit cobweby but the next two days after that felt really good.
“Playing 60, was all I was ever going to play but I was in a really good space, I could probably have played longer so I’m really happy.”
Declan Rice’s mum moment comes after emotional season
Rice said the biggest challenge this season had been mental rather than physical, with Arsenal’s title push and European final defeat taking him on an emotional rollercoaster.
“I think it’s been more mentally tough than physically. Even though I have played so many games, the emotions you go through on a football pitch is ridiculous. Trying to win the title and obviously winning it, and then to lose the final. You’re up and down constantly, trying to adapt.
World Cup fixtures ramp up in the next couple of days (Credit: SplashNews.com)
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