Why is Noni Madueke benched for England vs Argentina in FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final?
Madueke had been Tuchel’s preferred option on the right flank.
It appears that Thomas Tuchel made a huge call for the World Cup semifinal. In the FIFA World Cup 2026, the England manager plans to start Morgan Rogers for just the second time on the right wing.
About three hours prior to kickoff, David Ornstein of The Athletic revealed this lineup.
Rogers has come off the bench in all but one of England’s other games, including the group stage final against Panama. However, he is now making his second start. It means Noni Madueke will start on the bench.
During the 2025-26 Premier League season, the Arsenal star scored eight goals and provided four assists across all competitions.
Also read: Why is Bukayo Saka benched for England vs Argentina FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal?
Why is Noni Madueke benched against Argentina?
Thomas Tuchel’s starting team against Argentina does not include Noni Madueke, likely because of his World Cup performance against Norway. After 45 minutes of England’s quarterfinal encounter, the Arsenal winger was substituted by Bukayo Saka due to his lack of performance.
His inability to influence the game prompted Tuchel to take him off. The Three Lions were fighting for the winning goal against Norway.
Noni Madueke has started four of England’s World Cup games so far; he did not play against Mexico and came off the bench against Panama.
Despite being the first choice ahead of Saka, Madueke failed to impress with his performance. He will now start on the bench against Argentina. Meanwhile, Saka could make a cameo in the second half of the game.
The 24-year-old has typically alternated with Saka. The latter has been trying to demonstrate his fitness despite dealing with an Achilles problem.
Why is Noni Madueke benched against Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final game?
Due to his negligible impact so far in the competition.
Who has started ahead of him?
Morgan Rogers has been given the go-ahead in the starting lineup.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.