The ideal scenario Thomas Tuchel had hoped for has now materialised, providing a significant lift for England ahead of their FIFA World Cup semi-final clash with Argentina.

Marc Guehi, Jude Bellingham, Nico O’Reilly, and Declan Rice will all be eligible to play after successfully avoiding yellow cards that could have triggered a one-match suspension during England’s 2-1 win over Norway.

Under FIFA’s current disciplinary regulations, any player who accumulates two yellow cards in separate matches must serve a one-game suspension.

Bellingham was booked against DR Congo in the round of 32, while Guehi, O’Reilly, and Rice were all cautioned in the last-16 victory over Mexico.

Had any of the four received a booking in the quarter-final against Norway, they would have missed the upcoming semi-final against Argentina.

However, despite a tense and evenly contested match, all four managed to steer clear of further cautions and will therefore be available for selection against the reigning 2022 World Cup champions.

Declan Rice, who was substituted early in the Norway game, also picked up a yellow card during the group stage clash with Ghana. Yet, FIFA rules specify that yellow card tallies are reset after both the group stage and quarter-final rounds.

This means that no England player currently faces suspension for the World Cup final, should they progress, unless they are shown a direct red card.

The same policy benefited Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah, whose yellow card from the Panama group-stage match was wiped. However, his straight red card for a challenge on Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo in the last-16 tie at the Azteca Stadium led to a two-match suspension, as FIFA deemed it serious foul play. He will be eligible to return if England make it to the final.

This boost in squad availability is particularly encouraging for Tuchel, especially with six-goal midfielder Jude Bellingham in peak form. The Real Madrid star netted braces against both Mexico and Norway, moving level with captain Harry Kane as England’s joint-top scorer at the 2026 World Cup.

Both players currently trail France’s Kylian Mbappe and Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who have eight goals each.

The semi-final will mark Messi’s first-ever match against England. The Argentine legend could have faced them following his international debut against Bosnia & Herzegovina in August 2005, but a red card in that match ruled him out of a subsequent meeting with the Three Lions in Switzerland later that year.

England defeated Argentina 3-2 in that encounter, inspired by a Michael Owen double. Historically, the two nations have met in several iconic World Cup fixtures — Argentina eliminated England on penalties in the 1998 round of 16 after David Beckham’s controversial sending-off, while their 2002 group-stage clash ended 1-1 courtesy of a Beckham penalty. Their 1986 quarter-final meeting remains the most memorable, as Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal and his stunning solo strike knocked England out.

Given the long-standing sporting rivalry and historical undertones between the two sides, Wednesday’s semi-final in Atlanta promises to be a fiercely contested affair. England will, however, take comfort in having key players such as Rice, Guehi, O’Reilly, and Bellingham all fit and available.

After the Norway game, Tuchel revealed that Rice — who was withdrawn at half-time for Eberechi Eze — had been unwell in the days leading up to the match, spending “three days in bed” due to illness.

Nonetheless, the Arsenal midfielder is expected to recover in time, as is Reece James, who made his return from the bench against Norway after being sidelined with an injury sustained in the group-stage fixture against Ghana.

Ezri Konsa, who started at right-back against Norway, was also taken off with what Tuchel confirmed was cramp rather than a serious muscle issue. He is likewise anticipated to be available for the semi-final on Wednesday.