June 28th is a day for Chelsea fans to note as several of their stars will square off on the grandest stage of them all: the World Cup. Who’s already excited?
The draw for the World Cup took place on Friday afternoon, with millions of hopeful fans looking on to see whether they will get an easy group. England could have done worse after being drawn with Panama, Tunisia and Belgium.
This sets the stage for a mouthwatering clash between an exciting Belgium side and, well, England. Moreover, the game could feature as many as seven Chelsea players.
Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois will likely start for the Red Devils, should injuries not interfere. Michy Batshuayi, meanwhile, may be limited to a substitute appearance with Romelu Lukaku standing in front of him.
For England, Gary Cahill will probably be involved in Gareth Southgate’s squad while Tammy Abraham and Ruben Loftus-Cheek may also have a shot. The pair were called up to the senior squad for their most recent friendlies against Germany and Brazil.
Those call-ups were driven by an injury crisis, but both youngsters impressed. Ruben Loftus-Cheek grabbed the headlines with a skillful display against Germany and he ended up starting both games.
Loftus-Cheek and Abraham are currently on their latest loan assignments, but that just gives them a great opportunity to book a seat on the plane. While their respective teams (Crystal Palace and Swansea City) struggle, they should grab this chance to lead a recovery.
Both have the potential to be top Premier League players and World Cup options for Southgate. They now have a few months to show the England boss that their talent is required in Russia.
Danny Drinkwater could also be in with a shout. He was contacted as a late injury replacement for the latest fixtures, but turned down a spot in the squad due to his own fitness. He now seems to be settling into Antonio Conte’s midfield rotation so he will also be eager to prove he deserves a role in Russia.
Next: Azpilicueta and Bakayoko back in Chelsea’s predicted 3-4-3 vs. Newcastle
England fans will be delighted with their draw. English Chelsea fans can now also look forward to this secondary storyline. Are you looking forward to it? Who did your country draw? Let us know in the comments below!