When England and France square off in the World Cup quarterfinal on Saturday, Kyle Walker won’t give Kylian Mbappe any special treatment.
The Three Lions easily defeated Senegal in the round of 16, but now they will face the defending champions, which will be their hardest test yet.
Walker further insists that Gareth Southgate‘s team must concentrate on Les Bleus as a unit and not on individual players, despite the fact that he is well aware of the threat posed by Paris Saint-Germain star Mbappe.
Kyle Walker’s statement
Kyle Walker said; “He’s a great player in great form so it’s not going to be an easy task.
“But as a professional you want to play against the best players and he is one of the best in the world.
“Of course, I understand the focus and I understand what I need to do to stop him. It’s easier said than done but I don’t underestimate myself.
“I’ve come up against some of the best players in the world but I have to treat it just as another game. You have to give him respect but not too much.
“It will be a tough game but a team cannot just be about one person. I’m not going to roll out a red carpet for him and tell him to score. It’s a World Cup, it’s do or die.
“When City have played Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, we’re not just thinking of Mbappe — and it’s the same on Saturday.
“Yes, he’s a tool in their armoury — and a very good one — but you can’t underestimate their other players.
“We know he’s a great player and that’s why he’s the focus of all questions. But let’s not forget Olivier Giroud, who has scored lots of goals, Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann.
“For me, all the questions shouldn’t be about him [Mbappe]. I appreciate he’s a great footballer but there are others as well.”
