Declan Rice's Florida sunburn earns him a telling-off from his mum before World Cup opener

Declan Rice has already received his first reprimand of the World Cup — not from Gareth Southgate, but from his mum, after the Arsenal midfielder turned up to England’s official tournament photo shoot visibly sunburned following his first day at the team’s Florida training base.

Rice, who was given an extra week’s rest after playing in the Champions League final with Arsenal, admitted he struggled to adapt to the Florida heat after arriving from an English summer of mixed temperatures. The result was a photo shoot appearance that left little to the imagination.

“When the sunburn comes! I think everyone has seen those photos — I was bright red in that photo shoot,” Rice said. “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, all different types of weather, coming here and it’s always 30 degrees — it really does hit you in the face.”

Despite the rocky start, Rice quickly found his feet. He played 60 minutes in England’s 3-0 win over Costa Rica and says the squad is in strong shape ahead of their opening Group match against Croatia.

“It was lovely to have a week off, a complete reset, but I was getting itchy feet after four or five days to be back with the boys,” he said. “It’s been really good — everything I expected after a long season with Arsenal, starting in July up until about two weeks ago. It’s been nice to come in and have a change of environment and get back into this England shirt.”

Rice reflected on a gruelling domestic campaign in which Arsenal won the Premier League before he suffered defeat in the Champions League final, describing the mental toll as the hardest part of an extended season.

“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. And then full focus turns to the World Cup.”

Having managed a couple of minor niggles through the season, Rice says he arrives at the tournament feeling physically sharp. “I feel good as gold. Feel really fit, feel really strong,” he added. “Playing 60 tonight 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.”

England face Croatia in their first Group match with Rice expected to be central to Southgate’s midfield plans.