Jordan Henderson has dismissed the suggestion that Liverpool team-mate Ibrahima Konate will give anything away about Kylian Mbappe ahead of Saturday’s World Cup quarter final.
The Reds skipper is set to go head-to-head against his club teammate but England’s hopes of progress may well depend on how they handle the threat of the Paris Saint-Germain superstar. Mbappe scored two sublime goals as France stormed into the World Cup quarter-finals with a comfortable victory over Poland on Sunday.
England, who recorded a comfortable three-goal victory over Senegal on Sunday evening, are now preparing to face Les Bleus and star man Mbappe. He has scored five goals in three World Cups starts, including in France’ deserved 2-1 victory over Denmark in the group stage of the tournament having previously found the back of the net in France's opening-game 4-1 victory over Australia.
Mbappe is the current leading goal scorer at the World Cup with his five strikes, surpassing the total of four goals that saw him fire France to the last title. He is now aiming to lift football’s most prestigious trophy for the second time in his career, aged just 23.
However, England can expect no favours from the France internationals who are teammates with their Three Lions counterparts at club level. Henderson was asked, rather hopefully, by a journalist after the side’s progression if his Reds teammate Konate would pass over any information.
“No I don’t think that Konate will give us anything on Mbappe,” Henderson responded. “I am sure of it. A world class team, a team at world class level, Mbappe is probably in his best ever form, he’s probably the best player in the world at the moment alongside Messi. Incredible player.
Have Your Say! Will England be able to stop Mbappe and France ? Tell us what you think here.
“But when you look at the team, in all the positions, the quality that is there. They are world champions right now and it will be a very difficult test for us next week.”
Mbappe told reporters after France’s win over Poland on Sunday: "This World Cup is my obsession, it is the competition of my dreams.
"I have built my entire season around this competition, I have prepared myself to the fullest both physically and mentally to win it, which is the goal I have set for myself, although it is still far away. The only goal is to win the World Cup, the rest is secondary."
