France coach Didier Deschamps announced today, Friday, that star Kylian Mbappe is able to make a difference in the upcoming confrontation against England, in the quarter-finals of the World Cup Qatar 2022, tomorrow, Saturday, at Al Bayt Stadium.
Sharjah 24 – Asaad Khalil:
France coach Didier Deschamps confirmed today, Friday, that his star and top scorer Kylian Mbappe is able to make a difference in the upcoming confrontation against England in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup Qatar, tomorrow, Saturday, at Al Bayt Stadium.
The defending champions meet England for the third time in the World Cup finals, hoping to achieve a first victory over them after they fell twice previously in the group stage in 1966 and 1982.
Mbappe tops the scorers’ rankings in Qatar, with five goals, and hopes to increase his yield with the world champions when they meet the European runners-up.
France reached the quarter-finals by defeating Poland 3-1, including a double by Mbappe with two wonderful shots, while England qualified with a 3-0 victory over Senegal, in which Harry Kane, the top scorer of the 2018 World Cup, scored his first goal in the tournament.
Deschamps said Friday, during a press conference, I think England will take precautions, like our four previous competitors, Killian has the ability to make the difference, even in the last match when he was not in the best form compared to the first two matches, he was decisive.
And he added that the ability to distribute sources of danger to our opponent will avoid focusing on Killian, but Killian will always remain Killian, with the ability to be decisive at all times.
There will be a bilateral confrontation between goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and his colleague Kane at Tottenham, and he said in this regard: I only have positive things to talk about about Harry, he is a true leader for England and an example for his colleagues and above all a wonderful player, he has the ability to shoot anywhere, he is one of the best in this field.
And about the possibility of the match resorting to penalty kicks, the captain of the roosters confirmed, Harry and the England players will analyze the penalty shootout, but it is all about intuition, and before it reaches the penalty shootout, there is time to make the difference on the field.
In another context, Deschamps, who won the World Cup as a player in 1998 and coach in 2018, stressed that there are no pressures on the team and urged his players not to be dragged behind.
He added in this regard, we enjoy calm and serenity from the start, this is the quarter-finals of the World Cup, but there is no pressure, there is only happiness and enjoyment, with the clear goal of qualifying for the semi-finals.
Mature England
While France seeks to be only the third team to retain the title in the World Cup after Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962), England is still panting after a second title in the World Cup after what it achieved on its soil in 1966, and reached the semi-finals of Russia 2018, and finished Runner-up to Italy in the European Cup in the summer of 2021 when it was denied a first continental title.
Lloris commented, who is expected to play his 143rd match with France, and become the most participant in the history of the national team, surpassing Lilian Thuram. They reached the semi-finals of the World Cup and the final of the European Cup, and they made real progress, and I think this team has become mature. They lacked success in the Euros, They were so close, they are here to win.
For his part, Deschamps saw that England, which scored the most goals in the tournament so far, shared with Portugal (12), very dangerous in the rebounds.
And he continued in this regard, that this English team is very strong in counterattacks, scored half of its goals from quick rebounds, this is not its only advantage, it has many strengths: the way of playing, the ability to score goals, the danger in set pieces as well.