Argentina vs England - Five players who could impact off the bench in FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final

The winner of the Argentina-England game will face Spain in the final on July 19.

The second semifinal of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be played between defending champions Argentina and England at the Atlanta Stadium in Georgia. Both sides face each other in a crucial clash after playing 120 minutes in their last matches.

Lionel Messi has assisted or scored ten out of the 17 goals scored by the defending champions in six games. Meanwhile, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have scored 12 of the English side’s 13 goals.

However, with both sides playing one of the last games of the tournament, players would be exhausted, and at that time, substitutes would be important.

Also Read: What is expected attedance for England vs Argentina FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final clash?

Players who could impact off the bench in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final

5. Giovani Lo Celso

Giovani Lo Celso has played only one game for the defending champion in the ongoing World Cup, and that happened when Argentina faced Jordan in the group stage.

He played for 60 minutes and scored off a free-kick from outside the box, which has also been his only shot on target. Thus, he would add value to the midfield if the game starts looking stagnant for La Albiceleste.

4. Jose Lopez

Just making his second appearance in the FIFA World Cup 2026, Jose Lopez managed to record his first assist. He played eight minutes against Jordan and later made an appearance against Switzerland during the quarterfinal fixture and provided the assist to Julian Alvarez’s winner. Thus, he could make a change against England, too, if brought in at the time by Lionel Scaloni.

3. Reece James

When fully fit, Reece James could be part of any team’s starting line-up. He was a part of Thomas Tuchel’s initial plans in the tournament before he suffered an injury. However, he made a timely recovery by playing a few minutes against Norway.

With Jarell Quansah, Thomas Tuchel might not risk Reece James, considering his long history of muscle injuries. However, he could come in the later part of the game, adding support to the defense and allowing long balls from the backline.

2. Marcus Rashford

Marcus Rashford is one of the most talented and experienced players in the English lineup. However, the Englishman has been unlucky with his chances since scoring off the bench in the opening game of the tournament.

Rashford has had two starts under Thomas Tuchel; however, he has failed to score, and the majority of his shots have been off target, which has eventually led the German tactician to choose Anthony Gordon. He has been on the bench for the last two games; however, he can still come on as a super sub.

1. Thiago Almada

Atletico Madrid midfielder Thiago Almada could add the required freshness and agility in the line-up if the game gets into extra time. Almada is yet to score a goal in the ongoing tournament; however, in the last game against Switzerland, he had the second-most touches in the opposition box, alongside Nati’s Dan Ndoye, despite coming off the bench in the 91st minute.

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