Declan Rice Faces Heat at World Cup England Photoshoot

Declan Rice says world cup england are still adjusting to the heat in the US after he turned up to a World Cup photoshoot sunburnt. The England midfielder said his mum gave him a telling off after the pre-tournament picture, while the squad keeps preparing for conditions that will test them in Arlington and beyond.

Rice and the red photoshoot

Rice said he knew he had started to acclimatise when the sunburn went. Before that, he was the one in the frame for the wrong reason. "I think everyone's seen them photos... I was bright red at that photoshoot, my mum was killing me."

Fans on social media mocked his beetroot-red face and watch strap tan line, but the bigger issue for England is simpler: the weather is already biting. Rice said, "Honestly, the first day was tough, just getting used to that heat - when you come from England and it's hot, cold, all different types of weather."

Arlington heat for England

England begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia on 17 June in Arlington, Texas, where temperatures hit 36C this week. Fifa has added drinks breaks at the midway point in each half for every game, and players from all 48 nations arrived several days early to get used to the heat across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Rice said the temperature changes the feel of every run. "Then you come here and, regardless of whether it's hot or cold, it's 30C and it really does hit you in the face when you're running." England have also trained in heated tents in Spain and in sweltering conditions in Kansas before the tournament.

Tuchel and the 1966 target

Thomas Tuchel expects his players to "suffer" in those conditions as England try to win their first World Cup since 1966. Rice's sunburn may have made for an easy joke, but it also shows how quickly even routine work becomes harder in the tournament heat.

For England, the immediate task is not style. It is lasting long enough in 36C conditions to handle Croatia and the rest of the group-stage schedule without the weather deciding the game for them.