Former England striker Wayne Rooney has urged Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel to make changes to his starting lineup ahead of England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina.
According to a Daily Post Nigeria report published on July 15, 2026, Rooney believes Marcus Rashford should replace Arsenal winger Noni Madueke in the starting XI for the crucial encounter.
England reached the last four after defeating Norway in the quarter-finals, with Jude Bellingham playing a decisive role. The Real Madrid midfielder scored twice, including the extra-time winner that secured England’s place in the semi-finals.
Speaking on his BBC podcast, Rooney said Tuchel should reshape his attack to better exploit Argentina’s defence.
“I would place Jude in a three-man midfield, and even if he [Tuchel] disagrees, I would choose Rashford and Gordon,” Rooney said. “Rashford on the right and Gordon on the left, simply leveraging their speed.”
Rooney also called for a tactical adjustment at left-back to help contain Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who he noted continues to be a key attacking threat despite the latter stages of his career.
“I would also choose [Djed] Spence as the left-back for this match, considering Messi often moves to the right wing, cutting inside onto his left foot,” he added.
England are aiming to reach only their second FIFA World Cup final, having previously won the tournament on home soil in 1966.
They will face defending champions Argentina in the semi-final in Atlanta, with the winner set to meet Spain in the final after the European champions defeated France in the other semi-final.
