England defender Kyle Walker says France star Kylian Mbappe will not “stand in my way of winning a World Cup” as the pair prepare for their pace battle in Saturday’s quarter-final clash.
Mbappe, who is on course to take the Golden Boot with five goals in four games, returned to full training with the France team on Wednesday after undergoing a recovery session away from the squad on Tuesday.
Walker has been branded as England’s antidote to Mbappe’s attacking threat and the 32-year-old says he will not “roll out the red carpet” for the forward.
“I think the game’s not England vs Mbappe, it’s England vs France,” Walker told a press conference on Wednesday.
“We respect that he is a good player in good form, but I am not going to roll out a red carpet for him and tell him to go and score.
“I’m representing my country at the quarter-final in a World Cup, it’s do or die really. If we lose, we go home. He’s not going to stand in my way of winning a World Cup for my country.”
Walker has come up against Mbappe four times in his career, when his Manchester City side took on Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.—Sky Sports