Argentina clears Messi and defenders for semifinal

Argentina's national football team has received a major fitness boost ahead of its highly anticipated FIFA World Cup semifinal against England on Wednesday, July 15, with captain Lionel Messi and key defenders Cristian Romero and Leandro Paredes all cleared to play. The reigning champions will face England at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for a place in the final against either France or Spain.

The Argentine squad had been managing concerns over player fatigue and minor injuries following a grueling quarterfinal victory over Switzerland on Saturday, July 11, which required extra time to secure a 3-1 win. Messi received a blow to his right eye during that match, while Romero and Paredes were substituted due to exhaustion. However, team assessments confirmed no serious injuries, with Messi's discomfort subsiding quickly. The players are expected to be available for selection.

Argentina's path to the semifinals has been arduous, narrowly avoiding upsets in earlier knockout rounds. The team needed extra time to defeat Cape Verde 3-2 in the round of 16 and mounted a dramatic comeback from a two-goal deficit to beat Egypt by the same scoreline. Their quarterfinal against...