A Balkan-themed road to 2020 for England, then. Gareth Southgate’s side will face trips to Bulgaria, Montenegro, Kosovo, as well as the Czech Republic. Northern Ireland face a tricky campaign, but manager Michael O’Neill is putting on a brave face. “It’s a very tough draw, obviously we are against two of the top teams in Europe,” he says. “But we have to do as best as we can and challenge for one of the second spots. They are games to look forward to as well, Holland and Germany in Belfast will be great games. We have to improve our coefficient as much as possible, because there’s still a potential route through the Nations League as well.” As for Scotland, Belgium and Russia stand in their way and the Russian midfielder Ruslan Kambolov believes it will be a three-way fight. “The group is interesting,” Kambolov says. “I think the fight for the two tickets to the finals will be between Belgium, Scotland and us, but the three other teams can surprise you. The Belgians are favourites, but they will not have it easy.”

Phew! So, England, drawn out first in Dublin, get a generous group, with Czech Republic the meanest-looking side in Group A. The draw was not quite so kind to Northern Ireland, who were plunged into Group C alongside Netherlands and Germany at the expense of the Republic of Ireland, who could not go into that group as a third host nation. In the end, Mick McCarthy’s side were drawn into Group D, alongside Denmark and Switzerland. Elsewhere, Wales will have to take on Croatia in Group E, while Scotland will have to do battle with Belgium and Russia in Group I.

Group A: England, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Kosovo
Group B: Portugal, Ukraine, Serbia, Lithuania, Luxembourg
Group C: Netherlands, Germany, Northern Ireland, Estonia, Belarus
Group D: Switzerland, Denmark, Rep of Ireland, Georgia, Gibraltar
Group E: Croatia, Wales, Slovakia, Hungary, Azerbaijan
Group F: Spain, Sweden, Norway, Romania, Faroe Islands, Malta
Group G: Poland, Austria, Israel, Slovenia, Macedonia, Latvia
Group H: France, Iceland, Turkey, Albania, Moldova, Andorra
Group I: Belgium, Russia, Scotland, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, S Marino
Group J: Italy, Bos-Herz, Finland, Greece, Armenia, Liechtenstein

San Marino go into Group I, alongside Scotland, Belgium and Russia. And, just like that, Liechtenstein complete the draw, going into Group J.

Latvia go into Group G! They will face Poland, Austria, Israel. Malta, not a winter venue, get Group F, alongside Spain and Sweden. Andorra go into Group H, where they will face France.

Right, the last five teams enter the draw. Here we go ...

Robbie Keane gives his hot take on Group D. “I’m excited, honoured and privileged to be working beside Mick [McCarthy],” he says. “The group is always tough, no game is easy. We’re honoured to have a few games here in Dublin.” They will face Gibraltar, Georgia, Switzerland and Denmark.

Luxembourg join Group B, Belarus Group C alongside Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan Group E, together with Wales and Croatia. Into Group D, alongside the Republic of Ireland, it’s Gibraltar!

Nuno Gomes swishes the balls around, before dishing out a couple of his Euro memories. And, just like, that Kosovo join the Group A party! That’s a full house. They join England’s group.

Pot five incoming: FYR Macedonia, Kosovo, Belarus, Luxembourg, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Gibraltar, Faroe Islands ...

Albania go into H, with France, Iceland and Turkey. Cyprus are drawn into Group I, with Belgium and Russia among their opponents. Greece go into J.

Georgia go into Group D, alongside Switzerland, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland. Wales get Hungary in E.

Estonia join Northern Ireland in Group C, along with Germany and the Netherlands. A toughie!

Montenegro are drawn into Group A, together with England, Czech Republic and Bulgaria! Lithuania go into Group B.

Pot four incoming: Hungary, Romania, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Cyprus, Estonia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Georgia ..

Scotland, another host, are drawn into Group I, together with Belgium and Russia. Not the easiest of tasks for Alex McLeish’s side. We’re halfway through the draw, and some difficult groups are emerging.

Republic of Ireland are drawn ... but, as hosts, they can’t go into Group C, already established as the group of death. So, they miss Germany and Netherlands, but instead they drop Northern Ireland in it. Robbie Keane quickly trots out a cliche about every team being tough to play, but they’ve got lucky there. Michael O’Neill looks pretty glum, Mick McCarthy relieved. Serbia, meanwhile, go into Group B, alongside Portugal and Ukraine. Slovakia join Wales.

Bulgaria join Group A, where England and Czech Republic await. Gareth Southgate will be pretty happy with this so far, you’d have thought.

Pot three next up: Slovakia, Turkey, Rep of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Serbia, Finland, Bulgaria, Israel. Who will land where?

Austria join Poland in Group G, while Iceland are reunited with France after their memorable quarter-final a couple of years ago. Russia are pitted with Belgium in Group I, while Bosnia and H take on Italy in J. Two pots down, four to go ...

Wales meet Croatia in Group E! Sweden are drawn in Group F, alongside Spain. Tasty.

Ukraine join Portugal in Group B, with Andriy Shevchenko nodding away. Germany, relegated out of the Nations League by the Netherlands, are reunited with Ronald Koeman’s side in Group C. Denmark are drawn into Group D.

Czech Republic are drawn into Group A, alongside England!

Right, now we’re going to dip into pot two. And this is where the draw gets interesting ...

Delving into pot one, Croatia are drawn into Group E and three-time winners Spain are allocated to Group F. Poland get Group G, France Group H, Belgium get Group I, meaning Italy get Group J. Make sense? Good.

The rest of the Nations League pot is drawn. Portugal go into Group B, Netherlands Group C, Switzerland into Group D.

England are first out! They will be in Group A. Gareth Southgate looks pretty happy with that.

Here we go, then ... Nuno Gomes, of all people, is shuffling the balls.

Before the off in Dublin, a few more things to run through. Five of the 10 groups will have five teams, with six teams in the remaining groups. The former Republic of Ireland duo Robbie Keane (appointed Mick McCarthy’s assistant last week) and Ronnie Whelan will assist with the draw, as well as Portuguese pair Vitor Baia and Nuno Gomes. The first round of qualifiers start on 21-23 March 2019 – and the final games are on 17-19 November 2019. For political reasons, Spain and Gibraltar will be kept apart, while Kosovo cannot be in a group with Serbia or Bosnia-Herzegovina.

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This is a complicated-looking draw, but the end goal is explicit. Eventually, 55 teams will be whittled down to 24 and they will play across 12 different European countries, including Azerbaijan and the Republic of Ireland. The following cities will play host: Amsterdam, Baku, Bilbao, Budapest, Bucharest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Glasgow, London, Munich, Rome, St Petersburg. To make things less/more complicated, the video assistant referee (VAR) system will be also be used in two years’ time.

Nations League pot: Switzerland*, Portugal*, Netherlands*†, England*†

These four will be placed in five-team groups

Pot 1: Belgium, France, Spain†, Italy†, Croatia, Poland

Pot 2: Germany†, Iceland, Bosnia-H*, Ukraine*, Denmark*†, Sweden*, Russia†, Austria, Wales, Czech Republic

Pot 3: Slovakia, Turkey, Rep of Ireland†, Northern Ireland, Scotland*†, Norway*, Serbia*, Finland*, Bulgaria, Israel

Pot 4: Hungary†, Romania†, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Cyprus, Estonia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Georgia*

Pot 5: FYR Macedonia*, Kosovo*, Belarus*, Luxembourg, Armenia, Azerbaijan†, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Gibraltar, Faroe Islands

Pot 6: Latvia, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Malta, San Marino

*Guaranteed at least a play-off place as a Nations League group winner
†Teams who are Euro 2020 hosts – no more than two of these can be in the same group

Some of us are still to shake World Cup fever, but nevertheless, there’s another almighty tournament to get excited about now. And no, the Nations League finals draw is on Monday. But on a day when our gaze is inevitably focused on three derbies, at Stamford Bridge, the Emirates Stadium and then Anfield, first a metaphorical trip to Dublin, where the runners and riders of Euro 2020 will be cast against one another. By the end of the draw, we will have 55 teams placed in 10 different groups, with the top two automatically qualifying for the tournament which is spread out across 12 different countries. England are among the plum seeds, with Wales in pot two alongside an out-of-sorts Germany. Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are in pot three. Andrew Robertson, for one, is keen on a date with England after a couple of tasty encounters. “Hampden was a special day and if we get them again we look forward to it,” the Liverpool defender said. “They’re a different team now. They’re a lot better under Gareth Southgate so it may be a tougher task this time but we love games against them.” There are all manner of complications, owing to geopolitical tensions and a dusting of light drizzle, and that’s before any draw hiccups:

Draw starts: 11am (GMT)