England are set to make a late call over the fitness of key figure Declan Rice as they gear up for a massive World Cup semi-final against Argentina.
Rice was forced off early in the quarter-final win over Norway having been struggling with illness, and has also dealt with a hamstring issue during the course of this tournament. His possible absence from the semi-final in Atlanta would have been a huge blow, but it appears that the midfielder is likely to be available to Thomas Tuchel – who also faces selection headaches defensively with Reece James perhaps coming under consideration for a start after his recovery from his own hamstring problem.
The encounter will be the latest chapter in a storied World Cup rivalry, though England and Argentina have not met in a fixture of any kind since a friendly in 2005. It means Lionel Messi will take on Tuchel’s side for the first time – though goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has insisted that they risk letting others hurt them if they focus overly on the Argentina captain.
Follow all of the latest ahead of England vs Argentina with our live blog below:
Declan Rice facing race to be fit
Will Declan Rice be fit to face Argentina? We should find out more when Thomas Tuchel speaks late today, but it appears the midfielder could well be in contention. Rice was forced off against Norway having been struggling with both illness and a hamstring issue during this tournament.
England v Argentina LIVE
A mouthwatering World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina is just a day away, with the two nations gearing up for action in Atlanta. A storied footballing rivalry has been put on pause of late, but it could be a heated and hectic affair as the nations clash for the first time since 2005 – with Lionel Messi set to meet England for the first time.
We’ll have all of the latest throughout the day.
