- Title: 'It's do or die' says Walker - and there will be no red carpet for Mbappe
- Date: 7th December 2022
- Summary: AL WAKRAH, QATAR (DECEMBER 7, 2022) (REUTERS) ENGLAND TRAINING MIDFIELDER JUDE BELLINGHAM DURING TRAINING ENGLAND PLAYERS IN A GROUP FORWARD HARRY KANE DURING TRAINING ENGLAND PLAYERS IN A GROUP ENGLAND PLAYERS INCLUDING DEFENDERS KYLE WALKER AND HARRY MAGUIRE NEWS CONFERENCE WITH KYLE WALKER BEGINS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND DEFENDER, KYLE WALKER, SAYING: "No, I think the game is not England v (Kylian) Mbappe, the game is England v France. As I just said there, we take respect that he is a good player and in good form at the minute, but I am not going to roll out a red carpet for him and tell him to go and score. I am representing my country at the quarter final of a World Cup so it is do or die really, if we lose we go home, and he is not going to stand in my way of hopefully winning a World Cup for my country." MIDFIELDER BUKAYO SAKA DURING TRAINING / PLAYERS FEET ENGLAND PLAYERS RUNNING LED BY HARRY KANE TRAINING IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND DEFENDER, KYLE WALKER, SAYING ON MANCHESTER CITY PLAYING PSG IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: "I think when we have played them the four times in the Champions League for Manchester City, we are not just thinking about Mbappe. And I think it is exactly the same on Saturday, you are not just thinking about Mbappe. Okay, he is a tool that they have got in their armoury that is very good, but there is other good players, and we can't underestimate them other good players that have won big titles, that have won World Cups. Okay so he is a great player, we all know, that is why we don't underestimate him, but let's not forget (Olivier) Giroud who has scored countless goals in the Premier League, (Ousmane) Dembele who is for me just as good on the other wing and is a very tricky player, then you have got (Antoine) Griezmann and stuff like this, and these players can cause you problems. So we take our hat off to him, he's a great player, but for me all the questions probably shouldn't be about him. We should appreciate that we are seeing a great footballer but there is other players as well." PLAYERS RUNNING LED BY HARRY MAGUIRE, FINISHES ON KYLE WALKER MIDFIELDERS JUDE BELLINGHAM / CONOR GALLAGHER / JACK GREALISH JUDE BELLINGHAM ENGLAND TRAINING KYLE WALKER DURING TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND DEFENDER, KYLE WALKER, SAYING: "We have to back ourselves, we have to be confident in the players that we have got, the players that have been nurtured over the last four years reaching a semi final in a World Cup, reaching a final in the Euros and obviously we have got to a quarter final. Okay we are not there, and we have not gone past what we have achieved in the last World Cup or Euros, but we are on the right path in the right direction and I think with the group, the squad that we have got, the confidence is high, we are scoring goals, we are not conceding too many, so we have to be confident, but as I say, Saturday is going to be a very tough game against a very good team. It is the reigning world champions and we need to be right up to speed, right up to the mark, and make sure we are singing all from the same hymn sheet to collectively win this game." MANAGER GARETH SOUTHGATE ON PITCH HARRY KANE RUNNING DURING TRAINING TRAINING IN PROGRESS PHIL FODEN / KYLE WALKER DURING TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND DEFENDER, KYLE WALKER, SAYING: "I think it is a great opportunity to put a stamp down and say that we are a great team and can achieve great things. I think it will ultimately give us the belief that we can actually go on and win this. Not saying that we don't believe, but to beat a big team like France in a quarter finals match, and the reigning world champions, you have got to take some confidence from that, not arrogancy (corr), but confidence." TRAINING IN PROGRESS HARRY KANE DURING TRAINING TRAINING IN PROGRESS HARRY KANE / JUDE BELLINGHAM PHIL FODEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND DEFENDER, KYLE WALKER, SAYING ON THE POSSIBILITY OF RAIN ON THE DAY OF THE MATCH: "France have experienced rain as well, so it is both teams playing in a different weather conditions than what they have been used to over the last couple of weeks and being out here, but I don't think that is going to really make the difference between two sides, a little bit of rain, if I am being honest." PHIL FODEN DURING TRAINING TRAINING IN PROGRESS GARETH SOUTHGATE ON PITCH JORDAN PICKFORD DURING TRAINING PICKFORD AND NICK POPE AND AARON RAMSDALE
- Embargoed: 21st December 2022 15:17
- Keywords: England England v France Gareth Southgate Qatar 2022 World Cup
- Location: AL WAKRAH, QATAR
- City: AL WAKRAH, QATAR
- Country: Qatar
- Topics: Middle East,Sport,World Cup
- Reuters ID: LVA001507307122022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: England defender Kyle Walker says he has plenty of respect for Kylian Mbappe - but Saturday's World Cup quarter final against France isn't just about the PSG forward.
The mouth-watering clash between two free-scoring teams takes place in the Qatar city of Al Khor, with France looking to repeat their success at Russia 2018, and England trying to win the World Cup for the first time since 1966.
Mbappe is one of Les Bleus most dangerous players with his searing pace, and Walker, who is no slouch himself, will be tasked with marking him.
But speaking to the media on Wednesday at England's training base in Al Wakrah, just south of Doha, Walker insisted that France were dangerous all over the pitch.
"I think the game is not England v (Kylian) Mbappe, the game is England v France," he said.
"We respect that he is a good player and in good form at the minute, but I am not going to roll out a red carpet for him and tell him to go and score.
"I am representing my country at the quarter final of a World Cup so it is do or die really, if we lose we go home, and he is not going to stand in my way of hopefully winning a World Cup for my country."
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