Noni Madueke and Declan Rice respond to Djed Spence dig after PSG defeat

Arsenal had to get their skates on to squeeze an open-top bus parade between the Champions League final and their players' belated departures for World Cup 2026.

The Gunners were beaten on penalties by PSG in Budapest on Saturday, but Sunday was a day to celebrate their first Premier League title win since 2004.

Arsenal, PSG, Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano were exempt from FIFA's deadline for releasing their players for international duty because of their European finals. With the World Cup 10 days away, they're now linking up with their national teams.

When Noni Madueke, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze join the England camp, they will be reunited with Tottenham Hotspur full-back Djed Spence.

England fans who remember the club divisions within the dressing rooms of the past will be hoping the Premier League season is left in the past when the North London quintet stroll their socks and sliders into training for the first time.

Spence turned to the ancient art of emoji for his revenge, served at room temperature, after Arsenal had posted a picture of him tangling with two Gunners in the most recent North London derby.

The quick-witted former Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough man responded to Arsenal's padlock emoji with eyes and an unlocked padlock after Arsenal's shoot-out defeat.

It was a brave choice on the day before Arsenal celebrated the title they won not a week before, and it made for the easiest slapdown from Spence's international teammates in red.

Madueke took the responsibility on the day of the Gunners' parade, posting a picture of himself with England teammate and the Premier League trophy as adoring crowds rejoiced on the pavement.

"Champions! Whilst others are tweeting and posting," posted the ex-PSV winger. The cry-laugh emoji inevitably followed.

"Thank you God. The glory is yours!"

Competitive young men in rival teams having a little poke at one another isn't new, but the ethos that evolved among Gareth Southgate's England squads will now be tested before Thomas Tuchel's first major tournament even begins.

The prevalence of social media means the jibes and jabs are more public than ever before.

"Jealousy everywhere," replied Rice for good measure.

England's World Cup 2026 schedule

England will be in the United States for warm-up matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica.

They'll be based in Kansas City for their World Cup campaign, which begins against Croatia at AT&T Stadium on June 17.

The Three Lions play Ghana at Gillette Stadium in their second Group L match, and Panama at MetLife Stadium in the third.

Tuchel named in his squad players from Barcelona and Real Madrid, Manchester City and Manchester United, and Arsenal and Spurs.