England handed a massive injury boost as manager Thomas Tuchel confirms holding midfielder Declan Rice is fully fit to start the high-stakes World Cup semifinal against rivals Argentina. Read the full squad fitness update and Tuchel's thoughts on the historic fixture.
In a massive boost to England, their holding midfielder Declan Rice has been declared fit for the crucial World Cup semifinal against Argentina in Atlanta. Rice was under a cloud in the lead-up to England’s quarterfinal against Norway and was taken off at half-time by head coach Thomas Tuchel for the same reason. Ahead of England’s last-four tie against their old foes Argentina, Tuchel confirmed that, barring two players, everyone is fit and available for selection.
The two unavailable players are Jordan Henderson and centre-back Jarell Quansah. While Henderson is ruled out with a broken arm, on which he has had surgery in the US, Quansah is serving a red-card ban for his foul during England’s Round of 16 match against Mexico.
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“Everyone is fit to start, and everyone was in training except for Jarell (Quansah), who is suspended and Jordan Henderson,” Tuchel said in a chat with the reporters in Atlanta on the eve of the second semifinal.
“Rice is ready to start and as well recovered as possible,” said Tuchel, who was excited by the prospect of seeing England renew their long-standing rivalry with Argentina. “It is a big rivalry, two big football nations; everyone who loves football and follows the World Cup knows about this and about what it brings.”
“We expect an intense and emotional match, with a lot of momentum swings.”
Meanwhile, England-Argentina World Cup history goes back to the 1986 quarterfinal in Mexico, when Diego Maradona scored a brace to kick England out of the tournament – the first with the infamous ‘Hand of God’ and the second with perhaps the greatest goal of all time. 12 years later, in Saint-Étienne, Argentina won on penalties in the last-16 fixture to again knock England out
“We don’t use it as a fuel,” Tuchel said of the rivalry. “We know why we are here; we know what we want, we were never shy of expecting that from ourselves, and of saying it or of dreaming it.
“We are in the semifinals, and we arrive very hungry. We want to have the next win. We respect our opponent, but we don’t dip into historic events, and we don’t make it bigger than it is.”
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