The World Cup is just around the corner. Excitement is building, with the big kick-off just over a week away, with hosts Qatar to kick-off proceedings against Ecuador on Sunday, November 20.
England's first match at the tournament will be the following day, with Iran first up for Gareth Southgate's men. All countries will have named their 26-man squads by the end of next Monday, ahead of what is going to be a tournament like no other.
It is the first time ever that the four-yearly event is being held in the winter, with Qatar too hot in the summer to host football. There has been plenty of criticism for the tournament being in the Middle East, not least due to major human rights and LGBTQ+ concerns in Qatar.
READ MORE: England World Cup squad announced: Full 26-man list as Maddison, White, Wilson in
There is also the, admittedly lesser issue, of the players' well-being. Domestic leagues have not finished yet, with the final games before the World Cup due to be held this weekend, just a week before the tournament begins.
Then, just days after the World Cup final, domestic football will return in this country, with Carabao Cup fourth round matches due to be held the midweek after the World Cup is over, before the festive football period begins in earnest.
A number of high-profile players are going to miss the tournament in Qatar already with injuries, with the likes of N'Golo Kante, Paul Pogba and Englishmen Reece James and Ben Chilwell out. And there is still the possibility that more could join them on the treatment table before the tournament begins.
With one match to go before squads fly out to Qatar, all eyes will be on the big players and their fitness. Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has already admitted that Harry Kane - the England captain - is "tired" after a busy scheduled in the lead-up to the tournament.
He and everyone else will be hoping to avoid injury this weekend and Real Madrid ace Vinicius Junior summed things up perfectly in a social media post on Thursday after Los Blancos beat Cadiz 2-1 in La Liga. La Liga is now complete until after the World Cup, meaning Vinicius Junior and his teammates have made it safely to the World Cup without injury.
In his social media post he said: "Thank God one more match without injury. See you soon, Madridista!" It is a message that every Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham player heading to the World Cup will be hoping rings true for them after this weekend's matches.
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