Declan Rice is good to go. That’s the buzz coming out of England’s camp less than 48 hours before a World Cup semifinal against Argentina, and it’s the kind of news that can settle a whole fanbase’s nerves in a hurry.
The 37-year-old midfielder has been gutting it out through a rough few weeks. Back issues. Hamstring tightness. Then a sickness bug swept through the England dressing room right before the quarterfinal against Norway. Rice played through it, but he looked off. His first half was ineffective, and Thomas Tuchel pulled him in the second half. That raised eyebrows. If your midfield anchor is struggling to run, Argentina’s attack is the last thing you want to see coming.
Now? Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett confirmed Rice trained fully and is available to start. The cramp and fatigue that nagged him have been worked on by the physios. Nico O’Reilly’s hamstring problem has eased too. The only absences for England are Jarell Quansah (suspended) and Jordan Henderson (broken wrist). That’s about as clean a fitness report as a manager could hope for this deep in a tournament.
Rice has started five of England’s six World Cup games. The only match he sat out was the group stage against Panama, a rest day that looked smart at the time and now looks essential. He’s been the engine of this team, the guy who covers ground, breaks up play, and lets the creative players do their thing. Without him, Argentina’s midfield would have a much easier time controlling the tempo.
BBC reported earlier that Rice was “almost certain to rule himself fit” given the scale of the occasion. That checks out. A World Cup semifinal against Lionel Messi and Argentina is not the kind of game you skip unless your leg is literally detached. Rice has played hurt before, played through illness before, and he’s done it at a level that makes him indispensable to Tuchel’s system.
England is one win away from the final. Beat Argentina on July 14 and they’ll face either Spain or France on July 19 for the trophy. With Rice back in the middle, that path looks a lot more realistic than it did 48 hours ago when the sick bug rumors were circulating.
Now it’s just about whether he’s sharp enough to go 90 minutes against the world’s best player. That question won’t have an answer until kickoff.
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