Declan Rice is on track to recover from illness and maintain his position for England’s World Cup semi-final clash with Argentina on Wednesday.
The Arsenal midfielder was taken off at half-time during England’s victory over Norway in the quarter-finals, with Thomas Tuchel noting that Rice had spent the majority of the preceding three days in bed due to sickness. However, it has been reported that Rice is feeling significantly better after the team returned to their base in Kansas City one last time before heading to Atlanta on Tuesday. The 27-year-old is anticipated to partner Elliot Anderson in midfield against the reigning champions.
Concerns also surround Ezri Konsa’s fitness as he was substituted due to cramping against Norway, but the Aston Villa defender is likely to be in contention to start again at right-back. Tuchel might also consider bringing Reece James back into the lineup after the Chelsea captain featured as a substitute in the second half of the previous match. Additionally, Bukayo Saka’s impressive performance off the bench may earn him a starting role.
Jordan Pickford emphasized the importance of maintaining composure against Argentina, asserting that the players are well aware of the significance of the rivalry. This semi-final marks the first encounter between the two nations at the World Cup since 2002, a match rich in historical context. The England goalkeeper believes that keeping their cool will be pivotal for 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, 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.”
Authorities in Atlanta are taking precautions ahead of Wednesday’s semi-final, anticipating large crowds from both nations at a stadium with many unsegregated seats. Pickford recognized the game’s significance but stressed the need for England to stay grounded amidst 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.”
Having been part of the England squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup under Gareth Southgate and finishing as runners-up in the 2021 European Championship, Pickford has yet to secure any major trophies at the club level. Nevertheless, he mentioned that he hasn’t started contemplating the possibility of England going all the way 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.”
