England v Argentina World Cup semi-final: Rice fit, Tuchel unwinds with ice cream as Three Lions chase first final since 1966

Rice declared fit after illness disruption

Declan Rice is ready to start England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina after training on the eve of the match, Thomas Tuchel confirmed on Tuesday. The Arsenal midfielder had been bedbound for three days before the quarter-final against Norway, missing two days of training, and was substituted at half-time in Miami after an unusually ineffective performance. Rice has also been managing nagging hamstring pain since Christmas, but Tuchel said he had made "as good a recovery as possible" and trained fully with team-mates at their Kansas City base before the squad flew to Georgia.

Everyone is fit to start, except Jarell and Jordan. Declan is ready to start and had as good a recovery as possible.

Only Jordan Henderson and Jarell Quansah are unavailable for the semi-final. Henderson is recovering from arm surgery following a fall during celebrations after the last-16 win over Mexico, while Quansah is serving the second match of a two-game suspension after his red card at the Estadio Azteca. Right-back Reece James returned from a three-game absence with a hamstring issue as a substitute against Norway and is pushing to start.

Tuchel's selection dilemmas

Tuchel has yet to field the same starting back four in consecutive matches at this World Cup, but he is considering keeping the defence that began the quarter-final: Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Marc Guehi and Nico O'Reilly. The German coach has faced criticism for in-game adjustments that blunted England's midfield against Norway, particularly dropping Jude Bellingham deeper to cover for Rice's illness-enforced absence. His decision to start Noni Madueke over Bukayo Saka in Miami also drew scrutiny. With Argentina among the tournament's narrowest teams, wide selection will be critical.

We don't use it as fuel. We know why we're here — we know what we want. We were never shy of expecting that from us, of saying it, of dreaming it. We're in the semi-final — we arrive very hungry and want the next win.

Messi and the Argentina threat

England will face Lionel Messi on the international stage for the first time. Tuchel described the Argentina captain's influence as "absolutely incredible" and noted that when Messi has the ball, the movement of the entire team starts. Argentina reached the semi-finals after Julian Alvarez scored his first goal of this World Cup, and his first competitive goal in over a year, with a curling strike that broke Swiss resistance in the quarter-final. Alvarez's return to form adds a second focal point alongside Messi, forcing England's defence to worry about both.

How he carries the team is absolutely incredible — there are no words. In this tournament he is just the leader, and the key player in any team he plays.

Rivalry and context

Political tensions between England and Argentina, particularly around the Falklands War, have historically dominated the relationship between the two football nations. After Argentina's 3-2 win over Egypt in the last 16, players were filmed singing a chant referencing the islands. Tuchel said England would not "dip into historic events" and framed the occasion purely as a big football match. Marc Guehi told BBC Sport that the pressure is on the reigning champions.

Tuchel's ice-cream method

Tuchel shared an unusual approach to handling World Cup pressure: riding a bike in a parking lot with an ice cream. The 52-year-old German, hired in 2024 and tasked with ending England's 60-year trophy drought, said the ritual helps him reconnect with his inner child. He described the tournament as a "roller coaster" due to comeback wins against Congo and Norway and travel to Mexico at altitude, but said the experience fuels him and makes him feel alive. Tuchel could become only the fourth manager to reach a World Cup final with a team other than their home nation, and the first since Ernst Happel with the Netherlands in 1978.

Sometimes you just go on a bike and then you just need a big parking lot, an ice cream in your hand for 15 minutes on a bike and then you feel like you're 15 years old. You enjoy your evening on a warm, summer evening for 15 minutes with the ice cream and you reconnect to the beauty of that feeling that we all have inside of us and that's sometimes all it needs.

What comes next

The winner in Atlanta advances to Sunday's final at MetLife Stadium. England are one win away from reaching only their second World Cup final, having last appeared in one in 1966 when they won the trophy. Argentina are in the semi-finals for the third time in the past four World Cup editions and are defending the title they won in Qatar.