Toby Alderweireld has predicted some feisty training ground sessions between the English and Belgium players at Tottenham towards the end of the season.
The Spurs centre-back, who is currently out injured, took to Twitter on Friday afternoon to react to the World Cup draw, which pitted England, Belgium, Panama and Tunisia in the same group.
Alderweireld cheekily claimed: “Group G it is! Looking forward to a couple of rough training sessions at the end of this season”, as he copied in Three Lions quarter Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Harry Winks.
Group G it is! Looking forward to a couple of rough training sessions at the end of this season @HKane, @dele_official, @trippier2, @ericdier, @HarryWinks ???? #WorldCupDraw #Russia2018 pic.twitter.com/IybFkTYaOw
— Alderweireld Toby (@AlderweireldTob) December 1, 2017
Of recent internationals and if all were fit, Gareth Southgate could pick Kane,Alli, Dier, Winks, Danny Rose and Kieran Trippier.
Belgium could be able to call upon Jan Vertonghen, Alderweireld and Mousa Dembele for the match – which will be the final match of Group G, played on June 28 in Russia next year.
OPINION
Spurs fans will take pride from the number of their players set to represent their countries at the World Cup, and the club will make up big portions of the England and Belgium teams. Those training sessions Alderweireld speaks of will be key to preparing Tottenham for their end-of-season fixtures, which, in turn, will help Southgate identify which players to take to Russia. Belgium have a golden generation, but a smaller pool of players and only injury would prevent the Spurs trio from representing their country next summer.