Declan Rice is poised to recover from an illness and retain his spot for England’s World Cup semi-final clash with Argentina on Wednesday.
The Arsenal midfielder was taken off at halftime during England’s quarter-final victory over Norway, with Thomas Tuchel noting that Rice had spent a significant portion of the prior three days bedridden due to illness. However, reports indicate that Rice has felt considerably better after the team returned to their Kansas City base for the last time before heading to Atlanta on Tuesday. The 27-year-old is anticipated to start alongside Elliot Anderson in midfield against the reigning world champions.
England’s squad also faces fitness issues relating to Ezri Konsa, who had to exit the match against Norway due to cramping. Nevertheless, the Aston Villa defender is likely to be available for a starting role at right-back. Tuchel may consider recalling Reece James after the Chelsea captain came on as a substitute in the second half against Norway, and Bukayo Saka could also be in line for a starting position following his impressive performance off the bench.
In the meantime, Jordan Pickford has emphasized the necessity for England’s players to maintain their composure against Argentina, asserting that they will not be swayed by the intense rivalry between the two nations. The semi-final in Atlanta marks the first encounter between England and Argentina at the World Cup since 2002, a match rich in historical significance. Pickford believes that maintaining focus will be crucial for achieving victory.
“You’ve seen throughout the tournament, you’ve seen our desire to win titles, we’ve not gotten into any scuffles or anything,” he remarked. “We’ve been very respectful within the game – if decisions go our way or if they don’t go our way, we just reset, we go again, and we let the football do the talking. It just shows our mentality, we don’t get wrapped up in things like that, we stay focused.”
When asked about the prospect of facing Lionel Messi for the first time in his career, the Everton goalkeeper added.
“It’s great to finally come up against him – I watched him a lot as a kid. We all know how good Messi is but we also know how good Argentina are so we can’t focus solely on him.”
Authorities in Atlanta are taking precautions as they prepare for Wednesday’s semi-final, with thousands of fans from both nations expected to gather at a venue where many seats are not segregated. Pickford recognized the significance of the match but stressed the importance of not getting swept up in the occasion.
“It’s just a game of football with two sets of passionate fans who are going to be at the game. That’s what football does – it brings the fans and the nations together. We are two proud nations but the football will do the talking. Us and Argentina and Spain and France are the top four nations in the world in the rankings and we’ve all got the stage to get to the final. This is us against them and another great nation to play against. What a game it’s going to be and it’s about us beating them.”
Pickford was part of the England squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup under Gareth Southgate and lost in the final of the European Championship in 2021 and 2024. Although he has yet to secure any major silverware at the club level, he stated that he has not begun pondering whether England can emerge victorious this year.
“That is the dream but it’s all about Wednesday,” he said. “They are a very talented team and, regardless of the rivalry, I think it’s about us being at our best to try and get through a final in the World Cup, that’s what the challenge is.
“They are a very talented team and, regardless of the rivalry, I think it’s about us being at our best to try and get through a final in the World Cup, that’s what the challenge is. “In 2018, it was about connecting the nation together. Now we’re in the semi-final again, we want to put smiles on our people’s faces again.”
