Kylian Mbappe is the No. 1 target that England will want to contain when they go up against France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday at the Al Bayt Stadium.
If the Three Lions are going to come away with a win over Les Bleus, then their defense will need to be up to the task of ensuring the Paris Saint-Germain star isn’t the reason they lose.
Nonetheless, Manchester United’s Luke Shaw believes the defensive unit is up for the challenge of quieting Mbappe.
“Obviously after his performance [against Poland] there’s going to be even more chat about him but we know he’s a world-class player,” Shaw said (h/t Manchester Evening News). “I think it would be very naive of us to focus purely on him.
Although the Three Lions have to key on Mbappe, their entire focus cannot be on the 23-year-old as France has plenty of talent that can make them pay if the PSG star has an off night.
“They’re reigning world champions for a reason and we need to focus on them as a whole team,” Shaw added. “They have brilliant players over the whole pitch so we’re not going to fully focus on him, but it’s an amazing tie to be involved in and that’s why we’re here.”
Both teams will be vying for the result that will put them two wins away from lifting the World Cup trophy. France has their eyes on winning back-to-back trophies; meanwhile, England hopes to win their first World Cup since 1966.
