England faces a late decision on whether midfielder Declan Rice will be fit to start Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against Argentina. Despite the looming crucial match, there is optimism that the Arsenal player can recover from an illness.
Rice experienced a sickness bug leading up to England's quarter-final victory over Norway. He was substituted at halftime during that match, which England won 2-1 after extra time. According to head coach Thomas Tuchel, Rice was ill for three days prior to the quarter-final. Although his condition has improved significantly in the past 48 hours, he has not yet fully recovered from the illness, which he is understood to have contracted in Mexico during England's round of 16 win.
Despite the lingering effects of the illness, there is a strong possibility Rice will make himself available for the semi-final given the significance of the match. However, due to the severity of his sickness, England's medical staff will make the final determination on his fitness. Tuchel will assess the speed of Rice's recovery before deciding his starting lineup.
In addition to the recent illness, Rice has also been managing a neural issue affecting his lower back and hamstring for several months. He has appeared in all but one of England's World Cup games thus far, missing a group-stage match against Panama due to an injury flare-up. The midfielder has earned 78 caps for England.