Merino cameos prompt thoughts of what might have been for Arsenal in Budapest showdown

Mikel Merino in the red of the national team : Picture from Wikimedia Commons

The World cup's final chapters are about to be written - with London players still very much involved in the chase for sporting immortality.

The tension that is about to grip the nation on Wednesday as England take on Argentina in Atlanta will be underscored by the subtext of a north London confrontation between Tottenham's Crstian Romero and soon-to-be club team-mate Marcos Senesi for the world champions on one side - and the Arsenal coterie lined up against him in the England squad.

And alongside Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze will be Chelsea pair Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah going up against Blues skipper Enzo Fernandez in the South American ranks.

And that is before we mention a few former London regulars for England in the shape of Harry Kane, Marc Guehi and Ivan Toney.

It suggests some of these players might well be returning for the next Premier League season as World champions.

Then again, there is an honorary north Londoner on the opposite side of the draw with other ideas.

Step forward Mikel Merino - the super-sub for Spain with the golden touch. The Arsenal midfielder came on to grab an injury-time winner in the Iberian showdown with Portugal to eliminate Cristiano Ronaldo et al, before repeating the trick to see off Belgium in the European champions' quarter-final win to set up a semi-final clash with France.

Merino has a habit of popping up with vital goals for club and country. He did the game in the Euros two years ago with a header as hosts Germany were defeated on the march towards a Berlin final against England.

And the 30-year-old former Real Sociedad player proved he could do a great job as an auxiliary striker for the Gunners since his move to the capital too, having bagged some vital goals. The draw at Chelsea last season and the win at Newcastle spring to mind. He is something of a fans' favourite at the Emirates.

Gunners fans will be wondering what might have been had Mikel Arteta brought him on against PSG in this year's Champions League final in Budapest with the game locked in at 1-1 and heading for those fateful penalties. In the end, he remained an unused sub and his potential to sway the tie was overlooked.

He may once again be held in reserve against the French on Tuesday, whose squad includes Arsenal's brilliant title winner William Saliba, plus Chelsea defender Malo Gusto and Crystal Palace duo Maxence Lacroix Jean-Philippe Mateta, lest we forget. Former London stars Michael Olise (Palace) and N'Golo Kante (Chelsea) are also in the ranks.

Spain's squad also includes David Raya, of course - though Bilbao's Unai Simon has been preferred in goal in the USA - and his Arsenal team-mate Martin Zubimendi. Marc Cucurella is a mainstay in the Spanish team, as is Tottenham right-back Pedro Porro, while Eagles midfielder Yeremy Pino is also in the 26.

One way or another, it's definitely coming home to the capital.