England's Rice braces for 'hate and love' at World Cup / Photo: OLIVER BUNIC - AFP
England's Rice braces for 'hate and love' at World Cup
England midfielder Declan Rice expects to be "hated one minute and loved the next" when his country try to win the World Cup for the first time in 60 years.
Rice will be a key figure for Thomas Tuchel's side when the World Cup kicks off in June, but the Arsenal star knows the fickle nature of football fans could lead to an emotional rollercoaster ride.
Although England's record improved under Tuchel's predecessor Gareth Southgate, their only major tournament triumph remains the 1966 World Cup on home soil.
Rice and company are saddled with the burden of finally bringing home a major trophy, with their World Cup campaign starting against Croatia in Arlington, Texas on June 17.
Rice, capped 72 times by England, said: "The biggest challenge is dealing with everything that comes with being an England player.
"It's going to be the most-watched football event of the last four years. One minute you're going to be hated, one minute you're going to be loved.
"It always changes in football. You've just got to take it with a pinch of salt."
England's 'golden generation', including Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand, stumbled in major tournaments despite their success at club level.
Several of those players subsequently admitted they struggled to put their club rivalries to one side while on England duty.
But Rice, speaking to British Vogue, is confident England's current generation are far more harmonious.
"Whether it's through social media or in real life, you can see that there's a real connection between us," he said.
"You obviously hear about the older generation talking about how they didn't get on and how they couldn't connect and play together. But I think with us, that's why, over the last few years with England, we've done so well, because we're close on and off the pitch.
"We obviously all play against each other, but football's not like that any more. A lot of people have best friends from opposite teams, spend a lot of time with players from opposite teams. With England, we all get on. We always look forward to seeing each other. It's a nice getaway."
Rice could go to the World Cup on the back of Arsenal's greatest ever season.
The Gunners will clinch their first Premier League title since 2004 if they win their last two games against Burnley and Crystal Palace.
Mikel Arteta's side also face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final as they aim to win Europe's elite club competition for the first time.
F.Gentile--MJ
