England are about to learn what Arsenal already knew about Declan Rice

If there's one thing you need to be a player in Mikel Arteta's team, it's resilience. Perhaps that's putting it lightly; you can feel pain, but you can't address it. Not once. If you need a rest day, that's not happening.

It has led to Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice being too fatigued to play all available minutes at the World Cup this year. Against DR Congo, Declan Rice was subbed off after he changed position due to telling Thomas Tuchel he was in 'terrible pain.'

While it's not a good thing for Arsenal or England fans to hear, it was always coming. What is also coming is Rice persevering through that pain, just like he has all season.

Declan Rice will probably still start for England against Mexico

Nobody expects it of him. It would be far better from an Arsenal perspective if Rice just chilled out (as likely as that is in the Azteca, but alas). However, this is not commentary on what should happen, it's commentary on what will happen.

Rice, more likely than not, will start against Mexico. His message to Tuchel was crystal clear, he will play through pain for the sake of the team.

England have a few odds stacked against them in Mexico City: playing at altitude, the Mexican atmosphere, and players picking up injuries left, right and centre. Chances are, Rice knows about those pressures, and he'll play through them anyway.

That is simply Rice's character. You cannot place normal player standards on him because he is far from a normal player. The reason he is Arsenal's record signing, and why he helped them lift their first Premier League trophy in over two decades, is down to two simple words—built different.

Arsenal know Declan Rice's personality to a T

Rice probably won't win the Ballon d'Or this year. He might have had a chance if Arsenal won the Champions League, but they didn't.

If England win the World Cup, which is obviously wishful thinking, the Ballon d'Or still won't go to Rice. It will essentially secure the honour for Harry Kane, who more than deserves to win it for the first time.

Nevertheless, Rice doesn't do what he does for individual accolades. He does what he does for team honours.

People call his mannerisms performative until he steps up for England. People call his set pieces negative until he provides them for England.

Arsenal know what Declan Rice is like, and that's exactly why fans love him. He's about to extend that same gratitude to England fans all over again.

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