Kyle Walker discusses upcoming battle with Kylian Mbappe
By Mitch Wilks
Kyle Walker has backed himself to keep Kylian Mbappe at bay when England face France in the World Cup quarter-final.
Mbappe has been in glistening form since the tournament got underway in Qatar and fired Les Bleus to the last eight with a sensational brace against Poland.
But Walker has played down the fuss surrounding the 23-year-old and insisted England are focused on playing France as a whole, not just Mbappe.
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Speaking in a press conference ahead of the clash, he said: “The game isn’t England vs Mbappe, it’s England vs France.
“We will give respect but I’m not going to roll out a red carpet for him [Mbappe] to score. It’s do or die as if we lose we go home.
“I do understand what I need to do and that is to stop him. It is easier said than done, but I don’t underestimate myself. I have played against some great players at Man City and England, I treat it as another game, I take extra care and give him the respect he deserves, but not too much respect.”
Walker drew on the fact that he has already played against Mbappe several times in the Champions League with Manchester City, where he has often given a strong account of himself, but again was focused on the bigger picture.
“He is a fantastic player in great form. It is not going to be an easy task, but as a professional footballer you want to play against the best and I think he is one of the best if not the best in the world at the moment,” he added.
