Declan Rice is poised to shake off illness and keep his spot in England’s lineup for the World Cup semi-final against Argentina on Wednesday.
The Arsenal midfielder was replaced at halftime during England’s quarter-final victory over Norway. Thomas Tuchel disclosed that Rice had spent much of the three days leading up to the match in bed due to his health issues. However, sources indicate that Rice has shown significant improvement after the team returned to their Kansas City base, and he is anticipated to partner with Elliot Anderson in midfield against the defending champions.
There are also concerns regarding Ezri Konsa’s fitness, as he had to come off due to cramp in the match against Norway. Nevertheless, the Aston Villa defender is expected to be available for selection at right-back again. Tuchel might also bring back Reece James, who was a substitute in the last match, while Bukayo Saka is likely to feature in the starting lineup after his impressive performance as a substitute.
Jordan Pickford emphasized the need for England to maintain their composure against Argentina, emphasizing that they will not allow the intense historical rivalry to distract them. This semi-final marks the first World Cup encounter with Argentina since 2002, a matchup filled with significance. Pickford believes that staying cool under pressure will be crucial for their success.
“You’ve seen throughout the tournament, you’ve seen our desire to win titles, we’ve not gotten into any scuffles or anything,” he stated. “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 remarked.
“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.”
With thousands of fans from both nations expected at the semi-final in Atlanta, authorities are on high alert due to the unsegregated seating at the stadium. Pickford acknowledged the weight of the occasion but stressed the importance of not getting swept up in the moment.
“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.”
Having been part of the England squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and lost in the 2021 European Championship final, Pickford is eager to win silverware at the international level, even as he has yet to achieve significant club success. He noted that he has not begun to entertain thoughts about England’s potential to win the tournament this year.
“That is the dream but it’s all about Wednesday,” he mentioned. “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.”
