Kylian Mbappe returns to France training, is set to face England in QF

Kylian Mbappe RETURNS to training with France and looks set to face England in their crunch World Cup quarter-final following concerns over his fitness after missing Tuesday’s session

  • Kylian Mbappe is set to face England in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday 
  • There were concerns the PSG star had a knock after he missed Tuesday training
  • But Mbappe, 23, was pictured participating in full France training on Thursday 
  • The news will come as a blow to Three Lions fans who thought he might miss out 
  • Click here for the latest World Cup 2022 news, fixtures, live action and results

Kylian Mbappe is poised to face England in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday after being snapped in team training. 

There were concerns the Paris Saint-Germain star had picked up a knock and may have been a doubt for Saturday’s crunch knockout clash with Gareth Southgate’s side after he missed Tuesday’s session with Les Bleus.

But training pictures on Thursday show the tournament’s leading goalscorer Mbappe participating fully with his team-mates in a blow to Three Lions fans who had hoped he would be ruled out.

France’s star forward Kylian Mbappe (pictured) is set to face England in their crunch World Cup quarter-final on Saturday after being pictured participating in full team training on Thursday

The PSG attacker kicked a ball around with team-mates at the Al Sadd Stadium in Doha, Qatar

Mbappe, 23, undertook ‘ongoing recovery work’ on Tuesday but was back at it on Thursday

Mbappe is France’s biggest threat and leads the Golden Boot race with five goals in four games

Mbappe missed Tuesday’s session, four days before the clash, with staff saying it was due to ‘ongoing recovery work’ after their last-16 win over Poland on Sunday, despite team-mates like Olivier Giroud, who also played in that match, being involved.

Mbappe had complained of an ankle injury going into the tournament, but that has not affected his performances as he has arguably been the star player in Qatar. 

On Wednesday, France team-mate Ibrahima Konate said at a press conference: ‘We haven’t really spoken about it at all. He was just resting yesterday (Tuesday). 

‘He had a different kind of training session to do. There was nothing worrying about that. Nothing surprising either.’ 

The 23-year-old is undoubtedly France’s biggest threat heading into the game, currently leading the race for the Golden Boot with five goals in four games. 

Mbappe will now go head-to-head with England and Manchester City full-back Kyle Walker (left) in one of the most eagerly anticipated match-ups of the World Cup at the Al Bayt Stadium

But Walker has vowed not to ‘roll the red carpet out’ in the all-important quarter-final clash

Mbappe will now go head-to-head with England right-back Kyle Walker on Saturday night, in what is one of the most eagerly-anticipated match-ups of the tournament.

Walker, who many deem as the best candidate in world football to negate Mbappe’s blistering pace, earlier on Wednesday promised to make life as uncomfortable as possible for the young star. 

‘The game isn’t England v Mbappe, it’s England vs France. We will give respect but I’m not going to roll out a red carpet for him to score. It’s do or die as if we lose we go home.’

‘I do understand what I need to do and that’s to stop him. It’s probably easier said than done but I don’t underestimate myself. I’ve come across great players before so I just treat it like another game.

‘I’ll give him the respect he deserves but not too much because this is England. No one player makes a team. This isn’t tennis, it isn’t a solo sport.’ 




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