Thomas Tuchel says Declan Rice is expected to be available for England's semi-final against Argentina, but the final call will come late. Rice had been in bed for three days before the quarter-final against Norway, and he only lasted the first half before Tuchel took him off. England won that game 2-1 after extra time.
Tuchel's explanation
Tuchel did not dress it up. "Declan struggled after the last three days where he was most of the time in bed," he said. "I knew he could not survive 90 minutes and and there was a possibility that it goes 120, so I didn't want to waste another change so the decision was to take Declan earlier out than he needed to go out, just to save us another change later down the match."
That points to caution, not a tactical message. The substitution was about protecting a midfielder England clearly wanted on the pitch if the game ran long.
England's wait on Rice
Rice has made 5 World Cup appearances and logged 398 minutes, so this is not a player England have been easing in and out of the side. He has started all but one of England's World Cup games so far, which is why Tuchel's late check matters. Rice also has a 6.93 tournament rating, a steady enough return for a player whose main value is now tied to availability as much as output.
There is a broader fitness backdrop too. The illness was picked up in Mexico, where England beat the co-hosts 3-2 in the last 16. The BBC described it as a sickness bug. The Mirror has reported suspected food poisoning. Tuchel's line is the one that counts here, and it still leaves England waiting until the last possible moment.
Rice's availability will shape England's midfield setup in Atlanta, with his minutes already heavy and the knock-out run now at the sharp end. Tuchel's update suggests optimism, but not certainty, and that is enough to keep the pre-match plan flexible until the final assessment.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →