Declan Rice has been declared fit to start England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina, head coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed on the eve of the match in Atlanta. The Arsenal midfielder, who was substituted at half-time during the quarter-final victory over Norway after being bedridden for three days with illness, trained fully with the squad on Tuesday and is, in Tuchel’s words, “ready to start and as well recovered as possible.” The only absentees from the 26-man squad are Jordan Henderson, still recovering from surgery on a broken arm sustained while celebrating the last-16 win over Mexico, and defender Jarell Quansah, who serves the second match of a suspension following his red card in the same fixture.

Rice’s availability restores a key figure to the England midfield, a development tracked closely by media in London and beyond. Ghanaian and Nigerian outlets noted the significance of his return for a side that has yet to field an unchanged back four in the tournament. Tuchel, however, hinted at continuity in defence after the quartet of Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Marc Guehi and Nico O’Reilly impressed in the 2-1 win over Norway. The German said he was considering retaining that unit, a decision that would mark the first time he has named the same defensive line in consecutive matches at this World Cup.

The semi-final renews one of international football’s most charged rivalries, framed by the 1986 ‘Hand of God’ quarter-final and a 1998 penalty shootout defeat for England. Tuchel acknowledged the history but insisted his squad would not “dip into historic events” as motivation. “We are in the semi-finals, and we arrive very hungry,” he said. “We want to have the next win.” Indonesian coverage highlighted the tactical dilemma facing the coach, while British and Malaysian reports emphasised the emotional weight of the fixture, with Tuchel predicting “an intense and emotional match, with a lot of momentum swings.”

With Rice restored and the defensive shape taking form, England approach the contest in Atlanta with a near-full squad and a clear sense of purpose. The winner will advance to Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium, where Spain await after defeating France in the other semi-final.