Mbappe

England take on France in a quarter-final Dec. 10 and all eyes will be on one player.

The sort of match where a moment of magic from a star player can be the difference. It has won the competition only once, in 1966. This match, then, looks like being a close encounter with little to choose between the teams. England thrashed Iran, disappointed in a 0-0 draw with the U.S., then easily beat Wales. Both teams were among the pre-tournament favorites and everything has, more or less, gone to plan until now. It has only conceded two goals in the tournament, one of them a penalty. Its own attack has looked dangerous with players like Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden supporting the deadly If Walker manages to keep Mbappé quiet, there is also Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembélé in attack. Mbappé has said he found facing Walker a challenge when the Frenchman’s club, Paris Saint-Germain, has played Walker’s Manchester City in the Champions League. Mbappé has always been lightening quick and an assured finisher and he has added a swagger – at times verging on arrogance – that only the best players can pull off. France, of course, is not a one-man team. “He is a fantastic player in great form.

Walker's England team plays France on Saturday at Al Bayt Stadium (2 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app) in what is projected to be a World Cup quarterfinal ...

"I just needed to focus on the tournament and my football," Mbappé said. I'm here to win the World Cup." "Of course, there's a responsibility on his direct opponents, and we're ready for that, ready for the detail of that. 'We'll be happy in the long run,' says Brendan HuntFrance legend Thierry Henry reportedly 'keen' on coaching USMNT After being named Man of the Match in the victory over Poland, he came to the news conference and apologized to reporters for his absences. [Ousmane] Dembele](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/ousmane-dembele-player) who, for me, is just as good on the other wing, is a very tricky player. "I think it's the same as every position on the field," Southgate said. For me, all the questions shouldn't be about him." Then you've got [ [Antoine] Griezmann](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/antoine-griezmann-player) and stuff like this. His tally is nine goals in under two full World Cups, which is just one less than [Lionel Messi](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/lionel-messi-player) has (he scored his 10th on Friday) and one more than [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/cristiano-ronaldo-player), both of whom are more than 10 years older and playing in their fifth World Cup. [England](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/england-men-team) team plays [France](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/france-men-team) on Saturday at Al Bayt Stadium ( [2 p.m. "The game is not England vs.

England has a tough task in slowing down the blistering pace and finishing of Kylian Mbappé. Yet, France is far more than its PSG talisman.

The fear for those supporting England is that Gareth Southgate will pay too much attention on how to stop France that he fails to focus on how best to hurt them. They’ve come this far deploying a 4-3-3 which gets the best out of their young stars and provides enough stability defensively to allow Bellingham the freedom to play his natural game. It plays to their attacking strengths and places the onus on the front six breaking quickly as a unit, as they did so impressively against Senegal. [Saka](https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/jude-bellingham-and-bukayo-saka-englands-world-cup-stars-20221124-WST-409625.html), Foden and [Bellingham](https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/09/27/england-cant-win-the-world-cup-without-jude-bellingham/) have already proved they are more than ready to become international regulars. Cutting out the supply line to the front three will prove crucial to England’s chance of success. He looks to come inside and take the game to a potentially shaky They will go into the quarterfinal as the tournament’s top scorers and can boast a genuine world class forward in Harry Kane. He is adept with both his head and his feet, and he is comfortable with his back to goal. Behind the front three lies perhaps the key player to all of this, Antoine Griezmann. The Barcelona winger looks a player reborn after his injury battles earlier in his career. It is an immensely talented and disciplined squad with players across the front line capable of hurting England. [against Senegal](https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/england-3-0-senegal-3-things-we-learned-20221204-WST-411202.html) hadn’t even finished before the commentators had turned their thoughts.

France coach Didier Deschamps is confident Kylian Mbappe can still make the difference in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final showdown with England even if ...

Jonathan Johnson: Individually, he can. However, that still leaves Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, and Ousmane Dembele to worry about. Instead of focusing ...

Kylian Mbappé is hoping to fire France into the FIFA World Cup semi-finals against England on Sunday. There is every reason to assume the Paris ...

Mbappé has pulled two goals clear of a certain Zinédine Zidane as the seventh-highest scorer in the history of the France national team. He's not going to stand in my way of hopefully winning a World Cup for my country." Right from the beginning of this competition he's been crucial for us, very decisive and competitive. "Kylian's obviously the best striker I've played with in my whole career," Giroud said recently. His first was a right-footed finish from close range after a neat one-two with Lucas' brother and depute at left-back Theo Hernandez; his second an opportunistic conversion at the back post. With five assists for good measure, the 23-year-old had a goal-involvement every 70 minutes he played.

Ahead of its World Cup quarterfinal against France, England has a problem to solve. Namely, how to stop the tournament's top scorer, Kylian Mbappé, ...

I’m sure he’s going to be the best midfielder in the world.” For the winner, a semifinal against Morocco or Portugal awaits. “I don’t see a weakness in his game, I think he’s got everything. His perfectly timed run and pass set up Jordan Henderson’s opening goal against Senegal, while his skilful dribble allowed Harry Kane to get the second. How often do you get the chance to run at full speed for 30 meters in the first place on a football pitch? But England may have an answer to the pace of Mbappé. One option for England manager Gareth Southgate would be to deploy five defenders against France, with Walker operating as a right-sided center-back. [World Cup](https://cnn.com/specials/football/fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022) quarterfinal against France, England has a problem to solve. His teammate, forward Ousmane Dembélé, clocked 35kph (21.7mph) in the same game. “It’s probably easier said than done, but I don’t underestimate myself. “Top speed is an opportunity … “To be able to maintain his speed and still be one of the fastest European players at 32 is phenomenal.”

Boga followed up the lead and went to watch Mbappe playing for Bondy, where the player's father, Wilfried, was the manager. Initially, Boga was impressed by ...

“I think, to be fair, when you spoke with the boy he knew clearly what he wanted to do. “It was great — it was my first experience abroad and a chance for me to see what the game was like in England.” The only way around that would have been for Mbappe’s family to leave behind their life in Paris and relocate to England for non-footballing reasons. When he lost the ball, he stopped playing,” he explains. At the same time, there was also a sense that Mbappe was fairly relaxed about the whole experience. He pushes the ball and you can’t see him anymore,” Boga says, laughing. Many of them thought the story of his Chelsea trial was a hoax when contacted by The Athletic to ask for their memories. It would also be naive to think that Mbappe, at the age of 12, was nailed on to be a future superstar. international on trial at the club in 2010](https://theathletic.com/1989304/2020/08/12/pulisic-mount-carlton-chelsea-trials-picture-academy/)). His team-mates at Bondy didn’t believe where he had been until he showed them the Drogba picture on his father’s phone. Wilfried and Fayza accompanied Kylian, along with his older brother, Jires Kembo Ekoko, who was playing for Stade Rennais at the time. “He told me, ‘Daniel, I think you should come to Paris, there’s a young boy, he’s called Kylian Mbappe, he’s already signed a contract with me.

Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot, and Antoine Griezmann all have distinct traits, but perhaps unexpectedly, they have complemented each other very well ...

Tchouameni’s partner in defensive midfield has been Adrien Rabiot, who has played a bit-part role in central midfield, as well as wide on the left, similar to that played by Blaise Matuidi for Deschamps in 2018. And on top of his enforcing ability, he has been brilliant in stitching play between the back line and forward line, with 95 percent passing success rate. Jude Bellingham – who has shone in Qatar – taking on Tchouameni when England advance. Either way, the possible matchups make this game one of the best matchups of the World Cup. At the base is Aurelien Tchouameni, the 22-year-old who has just signed for Real Madrid in a deal that can rise to €100 million. The prolific Paris Saint-Germain forward is in mercurial form as the tournament’s highest goalscorer with five goals.

PABLO ZABALETA was one of the best right-backs in world football, winning five major trophies with Manchester City and playing for Argentina as they l.

Wait for him to receive the ball and then press him quickly. The BBC have first pick of the World Cup semi-finals next week. I’d advise Walker to go tight on him. Those three also have to press the likes of Adrien Rabiot, Antoine Griezmann and Aurelien Tchouameni – they have to be as aggressive as they can – and make sure they cannot play those easy balls to the feet of Mbappe. The worst thing is to give him space and time. [Zabaleta](https://www.the-sun.com/who/pablo-zabaleta/) – who is in Qatar for the BBC – about how [England](https://www.the-sun.com/sport/football/team/3562/england/) can stop flying Frenchman [Kylian Mbappe](https://www.the-sun.com/who/kylian-mbappe/).

France forwards Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud haven't always seen eye to eye, but they're proving a match made in heaven at the 2022 World Cup.

[the 35-year-old said.](https://www.goal.com/en/news/still-improve-giroud-fires-england-mbappe-warning-world-cup-quarter-final/bltd7a3323cdf122a71) "We have still not seen the best of him, which is scary, because he is already amazing. "There’s the technical side and tactical side to his achievement, but mostly it's been about his mentality, which has been so strong. He is, as he put it after the Poland win, I would say his record is there for one reason: Benzema being out for such a long time because of all the controversy he's involved with. It is more that he said it publicly than the fact that he said it. "He passed Thierry Henry by scoring an exceptional quantity and quality of goals. I had it out with him, I told him what I had to say, and afterwards it was over. [Mbappe told L'Equipe.](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/kylian-mbappe-olivier-giroud-row-25139097) "It is true that I was a little affected by it. I wish him the best, I see that he has started well with AC Milan. And if he comes back to the French national team, I will welcome him with open arms. Giroud and Mbappe are certainly something of an odd couple. As many millions were quick to point out online, it looked like a scene from one of those romantic movies where sparks fly as opposites attract.

Kylian Mbappe's expected duel with Kyle Walker has captured the imagination ahead of England and France's World Cup quarterfinal.

Maybe he doesn’t like coming really short for the ball, maybe he doesn’t like going for a diagonal ball. Whatever the outcome, he will relish a duel that most would reasonably dread. Kyle and the England side are more than capable of doing that.” “Griezmann’s game intelligence is so important because, when Mbappe is out there with a two versus one against him, he’ll float into a space to receive the ball. Walker was only dribbled past once over the course of the three games, although there is a significant caveat to suggestions he has dominated Mbappe. They’re not going to be overawed by the occasion.” “Then, all of a sudden they start running in behind a bit more and a two-goal lead comes out of nowhere. He knows that it’s not just done for the first five, 10 or 15 minutes. It looks like he gets excited by the challenge of going up against someone in a one vs one battle. In terms of more nuanced things, he doesn’t really dive in,” former City and England Under-21 defender Nedum Onuoha told The Sporting News. “As he’s gotten older, he reads the game differently. Additionally, the Manchester City defender has shown he is ready to exchange on such terms despite undergoing groin surgery in October.

England's Harry Kane, middle, takes part in drills during an official training session on the eve of the quarterfinal World Cup soccer match between France and ...

“I'm not saying we don't believe, but to beat a big team like that in a quarterfinal, they're the reigning world champions, that will give us great confidence - not arrogance but confidence” “Nobody was complaining about us playing a five before we reached the Euros final,” said Walker. But rather than merely trying to contain France's biggest threat, discussion this week has been about how bold Three Lions coach Gareth Southgate is prepared to be in response. “I don't know how to say it even more: I feel he is a top player. “If he (Walker) can stop Kylian Mbappe, good for him,” said midfielder Youssouf Fofana. England captain Harry Kane on Friday praised Walker, who also was his teammate at Tottenham for several years, as “a fantastic defender.

Four years ago Kylian Mbappe won the World Cup with France, cementing himself as one of the best young players on the planet. Now? He's even better.

"He knows he is important for us and that every move will be watched by the fans, the journalists, his teammates," Griezmann said. He will wear the captain's armband (currently with veteran goalkeeper [Hugo Lloris](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/43372/Hugo-Lloris)) sooner rather than later, there is no doubt, and that will perhaps see his next evolution. He is more of a leader now, and it's so obvious in this competition. In 2018, he was still keeping a low profile, eating his pasta and salmon, relaxing with his PlayStation and getting on with it at training. There is also some progress to be made when he plays on his own up front, receiving the ball with his back to goal. Sometimes he dribbles too much, and he could be better in the air. "He has taken his game to the next level," striker He talks a lot and puts a lot of joie de vivre into the everyday life of the team." The Mbappe of 2022 is not far from the finished article. However, the Mbappe of 2022 is on another planet. Let's not forget that the Mbappe of 2018 was a prodigy, still only 19 years old, considered "up-and-coming" and still unproven to a certain extent. There's the three Ligue 1 titles won, the 193 goals scored, the 93 assists registered, the formation of the partnership with [Neymar](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/132948/Neymar) and [Lionel Messi](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/45843/Lionel-Messi) and the 2021 UEFA Nations League triumph.

DOHA, Qatar — Goal No. 1, Yekaterinburg, Russia, June 21, 2018, France 1, Peru 0: It begins with a whoosh and a nudge … A great-big blur blew in way over ...

Goal No. 9, 16 minutes after Goal No. 7, 25 minutes after Goal No. But Qatar’s foreign minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Even the stricken root. 3, four minutes after Goal No. That’s the thing. “He’s a fantastic player, and he harmed us today.” “He can change a match in just a moment,” eternal France manager Didier Deschamps said, “and he’s always playing with such joy, and we all want to share those smiles with him,” such as the one in the 61st minute after he and Lucas Hernandez made a two-man charge on the left. “I thought the kid actually did really well,” Australia Manager Graham Arnold said, but he spoke of Nathaniel Atkinson, a 23-year-old from Tasmania who had to open the 2022 World Cup by marking Mbappé, as if he had done something bad in a previous life. Because it is a message to the young generation to say, ‘We are stronger than that.’ ” By then, his mere running made the giant premises seem to jiggle.

Kylian Mbappe has already picked up two Man of the Match awards at the 2022 World Cup, and in doing so, has turned more heads with a very subtle act.

"There was this little misunderstanding in the selection, but we are going to settle it because there is a competition coming up, we are not going to create problems for nothing, we have a compeition to win. [L'Equipe](https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Bleus-kylian-mbappe-refuse-de-participer-a-la-seance-photo-de-mardi/1355047) reported at the time Mbappe's decision was due to image rights concerns and a lack of certainty around how the photos would be used. Mbappe has a history of being careful when it comes to photos and notably refused to take part in a France squad photoshoot back in September. Such a stance suggests Mbappe and others are allowed to hide the logo if the promotion of alcohol goes against their beliefs. The Man of the Match trophy in Qatar is sponsored by beer company Budweiser and Mbappe has seemingly flipped the trophy each time when posing for photos to ensure their logo isn't showing. He isn't the only player to have been pictured with the Budweiser logo hidden in Qatar with Vincent Aboubakar, Wahbi Khazri and Yassine Bounou all seemingly opting against showing the brand's image too after collecting the Man of the Match award.

Kylian Mbappe is likely to be the biggest threat to England, with no team being able to stop him. The French striker has five goals to his tally and is the ...

Kylian Mbappe is not the only speedster in the French line-up. [Youssouf Fofana](/topic/youssouf-fofana), no team in the world has been able to stop Mbappe. As per official confirmation from FIFA, the French strike clocked 35.3kms/hour in the game against Poland, which is the fastest thus far in World Cup 2022. His sensational form is likely to get better as his career progresses, but one thing he has now is speed, which is nearing 22 miles/hour in the ongoing mega tournament. Per sports scientist Simon Brundish, acceleration is the key element in field sports. [US News](/news/international/us), [UK News](/news/international/uk), [Canada News](/news/international/canada), International Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)

It's the question that will likely define the World Cup quarter-final, and there may not be a perfect answer.

If there was a foolproof method of stopping Mbappé, he would not already be considered the best player in the world at the age of just 23. [Jordan Henderson](/topic/jordan-henderson)’s re-emergence as a starting option could be important in that respect too, given his experience of providing a shuttling presence in the centre of midfield at club level. “Alves would be the right back for Barcelona and flying forwards in attack, [so Mourinho] would play a soldier against him to try to stop him. Trying to adapt your team to cover for that whilst still trying to create your own problems is I think the challenge.” [Bukayo Saka](/topic/bukayo-saka) offers greater protection off the ball than his rivals for a place and still has enough to test France going the other way, particularly if England look to play on the counter-attack, as they did when taking Sunday’s last-16 tie away from Senegal. [John Stones](/topic/john-stones) is set to play alongside Walker and will recall his last meeting with Mbappé at international level – in a 3-2 defeat at the Stade de France five years ago. [Kylian Mbappé](/topic/kylian-mbappe) has almost been the sole focus of the build-up to this [World Cup ](/topic/world-cup-2022)quarter-final against [France](/topic/france-football), as this tournament’s top scorer [puts forward a compelling case to be the best in the world](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/kylian-mbappe-france-poland-ronaldo-messi-b2238730.html). But that is precisely the point: if Mbappé is not finding joy in one position, he can quite as easily crop up in another. “We have to try to find a way of avoiding that.” Mbappé has seldom got the better of Walker in a one-on-one battle, let alone actually scored down his side. Lo and behold, Real Madrid’s winning goal – the only goal – was scored by Vinicius, stealing in at the far post after Alexander-Arnold had lost track of his run. [England ](/topic/england-football-team)only have to come up against one player on Saturday.