Manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed Declan Rice has fully recovered after a period of illness and is ready to start, bringing a huge boost to England ahead of Argentina.
The England team has just received extremely great news ahead of the 2026 World Cup semifinal match against Argentina as key midfielder Declan Rice has fully recovered and is ready to feature from the start.
At the pre-match press conference in Atlanta, manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed the star on Arsenal’s payroll has overcome his health issue and is eligible to play after a period of rest and active recovery. “All players are ready to start, except for Jarell Quansah and Jordan Henderson. Declan Rice has recovered very well and is completely capable of starting,” the German strategist asserted.
Previously, Rice made fans worried when he had to leave the pitch right after the first half in the 2-1 victory over Norway in the quarter-finals. After the match, Tuchel revealed his pupil had been bedridden for three days due to illness before the clash with the Northern European representative. In addition, the 27-year-old midfielder also had to play with a lingering hamstring pain since late last year.
However, Rice has returned to normal training with the whole team at their headquarters in Kansas City before England traveled to Atlanta to prepare for the epic clash with the reigning world champions.
Rice’s return is of particularly important significance for the “Three Lions”. The Arsenal midfielder is always an irreplaceable link in the midfield thanks to his ability to intercept, win back the ball, and regulate the tempo of the match. Facing an Argentina side that possesses Lionel Messi alongside a highly technical midfield, Rice’s presence is expected to help England increase their tackling capacity and control of the game.
Meanwhile, Jordan Henderson is still unable to train with his teammates following arm surgery, while Jarell Quansah will miss out due to suspension.
With an almost full-strength squad, England is full of confidence heading into the big battle with Argentina. If they overcome the reigning champions, Thomas Tuchel’s army will win a ticket to the World Cup final for the first time since 1966, where Spain is already waiting after defeating France 2-0 in the other semi-final match.
