Declan Rice is expected to shake off a sickness bug and keep his spot in the lineup for England’s World Cup semifinal clash with Argentina on Wednesday.
The Arsenal player was taken off at the break during England’s quarterfinal victory against Norway, after manager Thomas Tuchel disclosed that Rice had been bedridden for much of the prior three days because of the illness. However, sources indicate that Rice’s condition has improved significantly since the squad returned to their Kansas City camp for one last stay before flying to Atlanta on Tuesday, and the 27-year-old is likely to line up in midfield next to Elliot Anderson when they face the current title holders.
There are also injury worries surrounding Ezri Konsa, who was forced off against Norway with muscle tightness, though the Aston Villa defender is still likely to be in the running to feature at right-back once more. Tuchel might bring Reece James back into the starting eleven after the Chelsea skipper appeared as a halftime substitute in that match, and Bukayo Saka is also a candidate to start following a lively cameo from the bench.
Meanwhile, Jordan Pickford stated that the England squad is aware of the need to stay composed against Argentina and stressed they won’t allow the fierce rivalry between the nations to divert their focus. The semifinal in Atlanta marks the first World Cup meeting between these sides since the 2002 encounter, a match rich in history. The goalkeeper feels that keeping their emotions in check might be decisive for securing a win.
“Throughout this competition, you can witness how much we want to lift trophies; we haven’t been involved in any confrontations,” he remarked. “We’ve maintained respect on the pitch – whether calls benefit us or not, we simply regroup, continue, and let our play speak for itself. That demonstrates our mindset: we don’t get entangled in such distractions, we remain dedicated to the task.”
When questioned about the prospect of meeting Lionel Messi for the first time, the Everton shot-stopper said: “It’s brilliant to finally play against him – I admired him greatly when I was growing up. We’re all aware of Messi’s quality, but Argentina’s strength lies elsewhere too, so we can’t only concentrate on him.”
Jordan Pickford: ‘It’s a battle between us and them – another great country to face.’ Photograph: Charlie Riedel/AP
Security officials in Atlanta are on heightened watch before Wednesday’s semifinal, as thousands of fans from both nations are anticipated at a venue where a large portion of seating is mixed. Pickford recognized the magnitude of the fixture but stressed that England must avoid being swept up by the atmosphere.
“It’s simply a football match featuring two groups of devoted supporters. That’s the beauty of the sport – it unites fans and countries alike. We’re both proud nations, but the result will be determined on the field. Along with Argentina, Spain, and France, we’re the four highest-ranked sides in the world, each with a chance to reach the final. This is about us against them, another outstanding team to go up against. It promises to be a fantastic contest, and it’s all about finding a way to beat them.”
Pickford featured in the England team that progressed to the last four of the 2018 World Cup under Gareth Southgate and then suffered defeats in the European Championship finals of 2021 and 2024. While he hasn’t collected any major trophies with his club, he asserted that he isn’t yet contemplating whether England can triumph this year.
“That is the ultimate goal, but everything hinges on Wednesday,” he noted. “Argentina are a hugely gifted side, and leaving the rivalry aside, our focus has to be on delivering our best performance to earn a spot in the World Cup final – that’s the challenge we face.”
“Back in 2018, it was about bringing the country together. Now that we’ve reached the semifinals once more, we aim to make our supporters happy again.”
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