England manager Thomas Tuchel has announced that midfielder Declan Rice is in good health to begin Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final versus reigning champions Argentina after overcoming an illness.
During his pre-match press conference in Atlanta on Tuesday, Tuchel stated that Rice had recovered his fitness after having to leave the field at half-time in England’s quarter-final win against Norway.
“Everyone is fit to start, and everyone was in training except for Jarell (Quansah), who is suspended, and Jordan Henderson,” Tuchel told reporters.
Henderson will be unavailable for the match after sustaining a fractured arm in an unusual incident following England’s round of 16 victory against co-hosts Mexico.
Updating on Rice, Tuchel stated, “Rice is prepared to start and has recovered as well as he can.”
The England coach also anticipated another installment in the enduring football rivalry with Argentina, calling it one of the most significant matches in international football.
“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,” said the German.
The rivalry between the two countries features Argentina’s notable 2-1 win in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals, where Diego Maradona netted both the disputed “Hand of God” goal and an incredible solo strike considered one of the finest goals in tournament history.
Argentina knocked out England in the 1998 Round of 16 on penalties following the red card shown to David Beckham.
Tuchel emphasized that his players were not finding inspiration from previous matchups.
He stated, “We don’t use it as a fuel.
“We know why we are here; we know what we want. We were never shy of expecting that from ourselves or 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.”
England secured their spot in the semi-finals by overcoming Norway, while Argentina progressed to the last four in their quest to defend the World Cup title.
