RAISED THE BAR
Ramsdale drinking it all in after journey from Lineker’s to Qatar
AARON RAMSDALE watched England beat Tunisia at the 2018 World Cup in Wayne Lineker’s bar in Cyprus.
Now four years later he is in Qatar with hopes of battling it out with Three Lions No.1 Jordan Pickford for a spot in Gareth Southgate’s team.
It has been quite the journey for the Arsenal keeper, who had just finished a loan spell at Chesterfield from Bournemouth when England were last on this stage.
But Ramsdale was almost embarrassed to reveal where he was watching when Harry Kane scored a last-minute winner in their opening game in Russia in 2018.
“Oh God – I was in Ayia Napa watching the first game at Lineker’s Bar with my friends,” he said.
“That was crazy because Harry scored the last-minute header, that was an eventful night.”
Ramsdale returned home for the rest of the tournament and even took in the Colombia win with close pal, and now England and Arsenal team-mate, Ben White, who he met while at Bournemouth.
“I watched one at a fan zone in Weymouth and then the Columbia game I watched the day before preseason,” said Ramsdale.
“So I was with my group of friends, who me and Ben White know, round their house and as you can imagine there was a lot of cheering.
‘‘I still get goosebumps now thinking about it and I wasn’t even there but it was a special night.”
Now he’s here with England after becoming Arsenal’s No.1 and one of the Premier League’s top keepers since his 2021 move from Sheffield United.
But Ramsdale not only faces competition from Everton’s Pickford for a starting spot, as in-form Newcastle keeper Nick Pope is also here.
It seems unlikely, at this stage, that he will feature in Qatar, despite a super start to the season with the table-topping Gunners, for whom he has kept seven clean sheets.
But if it does then it would be a special moment for his dad Nick.
Ramsdale said: “If I actually make it on the pitch, he might not return home – he might have a heart attack.
“It’s special for my family, especially for my mum and dad who have driven up and down the country, flying me around the world. He won’t have any nails left, let’s put it that way.” Nick Ramsdale became a celebrity in his own right after his cameo appearances in Arsenal’s ‘All or Nothing’ documentary.
And he will be here in Qatar wearing his lucky fez-like hat.
“I couldn’t image really what my parents must be feeling like, it’s a lot of emotion,” said Ramsdale.
“They sacrificed a lot for me to even be in with a chance of being here now.
“They’re just excited to come out here and support me and the team.
‘‘My mum and dad are proud English people
anyway and they’ll want to see the team do well regardless of me being here.
“They’ll be really excited about the whole thing and my dad will be wearing his hat out here
–which will bring a bit of luck.”