Hello! Nearly three years after the World Cup draw was made, the day is finally upon us: England versus Wales; the mother country, the inventor of the sport, versus a nation whose people are in love with the game. 

The winners will be heroes, the losers face the prospect of staring into the World Cup wasteland that is non-qualification.

Image source, Getty Images

There have been other battles, other matches, but never have the stakes been so high and expectations so immense. Never has the thought of losing caused such a deep ghastly tremble, or the thought of victory been so alluring. There have been other battles, other matches, but nothing quite like this.

Image source, Getty Images