England have been handed a huge boost ahead of their monumental World Cup semi-final against Argentina
Marc Guehi, Jude Bellingham, Nico O’Reilly and Declan Rice are all available for the match after they avoided a yellow card and subsequent one-game suspension in the 2-1 victory over Norway.
FIFA’s current rules concerning yellow cards say any player booked in two separate games will have to serve a one-match ban as a punishment.
Bellingham was cautioned against DR Congo in the round of 32 and Guehi, O’Reilly and Rice all received yellow cards against Mexico in the last-16.
If any of the quartet received a card against Norway, they would have been suspended for the Argentina semi-final.
However, despite a tight and cagey game, all four avoided that fate and will be available against the 2022 World Cup winners.
Rice did also receive a yellow card against Ghana in the group stage, but FIFA rules state the count resets after both the group stage and quarter-finals.
Therefore no England player is at risk of suspension for the World Cup final (should they reach it), unless they receive a straight red card.
The same had applied to Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah, whose yellow card against Panama during the group stage was scrubbed.
However, his straight red card for a foul on Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo in England’s last-16 victory at the Azteca Stadium has resulted in a two-game suspension, after FIFA deemed the challenge serious foul play. He will be available again should England reach the final.
The availability of these four players - especially that of six-goal Jude Bellingham - is a real plus for England. The Real Madrid midfielder has scored a brace against both Mexico and Norway to join captain Harry Kane as England’s joint-top goalscorer at the 2026 World Cup.
They both sit two goals behind France’s Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi - both on eight.
This will be Messi’s first ever game against England: he could have faced them after his August 2005 debut against Bosnia & Herzegovina, but his red card in that game meant he missed facing the Three Lions in Switzerland a few months later.
That one ended 3-2 to England, thanks to a Michael Owen double. Prior, England and Argentina had faced off in two consecutive World Cups. At the 1998 edition, Argentina knocked the Three Lions out in the last 16 on penalties following a controversial David Beckham red card. In 2002, the two sides met in the group stage and drew 1-1 thanks to a Beckham penalty.
However, their 1986 World Cup meeting is most famous: Diego Maradona’s double, consisting of the ‘Hand of God’ goal - alongside a strike considered among the best ever - knocked England out at the quarter-final stage.
With historical, political and footballing tensions rife between these two, Wednesday evening’s game in temperate Atlanta will be hard-fought, but the Three Lions should be relieved World Cup starters like Rice, Guehi, O’Reilly and Bellingham can feature.
Thomas Tuchel did reveal post-match that Rice - who was substituted at half-time against Norway for Eberechi Eze - had spent “three days in bed” in the lead-up to the game, due to illness.
But the Arsenal midfielder should be available, as will Reece James, who featured from the bench against Norway. The Chelsea captain had been absent since an injury against Ghana in the group stage.
The same applies to Ezri Konsa, who played at right-back against Norway - Tuchel confirmed he was taken off with cramp in that game, rather than a muscular injury. He should also be available on Wednesday.
