England have been drawn in the same group as Scotland for the 2022 Qatar World Cup this winter, though the latter have a long way to go to make the finals. They still have to overcome Ukraine and then Wales in a qualification playoff to book their place in Group B of the tournament.
If they manage that, they will be in the same group as the Three Lions as well as USA and Iran. The finals take place in November, which is a first of its kind for the competition, playing out mid-season.
This could see teammates switch to rivals within a matter of days and this could certainly be the case at Arsenal. Kieran Tierney could potentially go head-to-head with an England contingent that includes Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka.
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The matchup would be a repeat of the European Championships clash last summer, where the game ended in a 0-0 stalemate. While Scotland ended up crashing out in the groups, the Three Lions progressed to the final and eventually bowed out to Italy on penalties.
Manager Gareth Southgate was disappointed with the draw last summer and discussed it after the game, saying: “Look, it’s a game we know we didn’t hit the level we wanted to or need to, but tonight we have to accept whatever comes our way. All I would say is I’m totally understanding that as the manager, I totally understand anything that comes my way.”
The World Cup also provides a stage for Saka to shine after the disappointment of the Euros. The Gunners academy star stepped up to take a crucial penalty in the final of the competition and missed, knocking England out.
The 20-year-old took to social media shortly after the match to break his silence, claiming the miss will not break him: "My reaction post match said it all, I was hurting so much and I felt like I'd let you all and my England family down, but I can promise you this... I will not let that moment or the negativity that I've received that week break me."
It certainly hasn't done so at club level, shining under Mikel Arteta and his young squad so far this season. He has scored nine and assisted five in the Premier League this season and has become a constant threat on the right, keeping club-record signing Nicolas Pepe out of the side.
With Tierney defending at left-back and Saka often playing on the right of a front four for Arsenal, it could match the pair against each other for a huge clash down the flank. If teammates became rival on the biggest stage, it may show just how far the Gunners have come in the past few years.
