'One minute you're hated, the next you're loved': Rice prepared for World Cup challenges

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rice-declan/zkQ8Cm6n/"]Rice[/a] will be a key figure for Thomas Tuchel's side when the World Cup kicks off in June, but the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] star knows the fickle nature of football fans could lead to an emotional rollercoaster ride.[/p][p]Although [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/j9N9ZNFA/"]England[/a]'s record improved under Tuchel's predecessor, Gareth Southgate, their only major tournament triumph remains the 1966 World Cup on home soil.[/p][p]Rice and company are saddled with the burden of finally bringing home a major trophy, with their World Cup campaign starting against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/croatia/K8aznggo/"]Croatia[/a] in Arlington, Texas, on June 17th.[/p][embed guid="b779d289-1254-4864-9204-a51aa05fab11" url="https://x.com/England/status/2055239012713930892" social-type="twitter" /][p]Rice, capped 72 times by England, said: [b]"The biggest challenge is dealing with everything that comes with being an England player.[/b][/p][p][b]"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.[/b][/p][p][b]"It always changes in football. You've just got to take it with a pinch of salt."[/b][/p][p]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.[/p][p]Several of those players subsequently admitted they struggled to put their club rivalries to one side while on England duty.[/p][image alt="England's upcoming fixtures" id="05e2a10b-bcfa-4174-923b-1bca03009d11" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="f5fce42a-ff22-4265-b273-b4304a69229a" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]But Rice, speaking to British Vogue, is confident England's current generation are far more harmonious.[/p][p][b]"Whether it's through social media or in real life, you can see that there's a real connection between us," [/b]he said.[/p][p]"You obviously hear about the older generation talking about how they didn't get on and how they couldn't connect and play together.[/p][p][b]"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.[/b][/p][p][b]"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, and 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."[/b][/p][embed guid="42d4f383-30c0-44c4-8237-b279b93a677f" url="https://x.com/Arsenal/status/2054970206947291515" social-type="twitter" /][p]Rice could go to the World Cup on the back of Arsenal's greatest ever season.[/p][p]The Gunners will clinch their first Premier League title since 2004 if they win their last two games against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/burnley-z3dmTMMO/?mid=Gxt6zm15"]Burnley[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/crystal-palace-AovF1Mia/?mid=UNC9hLMj"]Crystal Palace[/a].[/p][p]Mikel Arteta's side also face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/psg-CjhkPw0k/?mid=EJZRaQ15"]Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final[/a] as they aim to win Europe's elite club competition for the first time.[/p]