Walker: “We are not playing tennis”; Konaté: “Football isn’t played by one or two players”

While the eye on the World Cup has understandably centred round massive identify personalities – Messi, Ronaldo and Mbappe, English defender Kyle Walker and Frenchman Ibrahima Konaté pressured soccer is a crew sport, and will do with out fixations on people.

“We are not playing tennis,” Walker informed the press on Wednesday. “It’s not a solo sport. It takes a team to win a game of football. They have to worry about us. It’s not just us worrying about them. We have great players, and great players who can come off the bench and affect games.”

England have been repeatedly quizzed on how they may cease the stomping risk of Mbappe. Walker mentioned he is not going to “roll out the red carpet” for Mbappe within the quarter-final towards France on Saturday whereas acknowledging he was revered for the risk he was.

“He’s one of the best, if not the best, in the world,” England’s right-back who will likely be entrusted to cease him, added. “I 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,” Walker mentioned backing his possibilities.

The burly Man City strongman, insisted this wasn’t England Vs Mbappe however England Vs France, and the strain was unfold throughout the entire crew, each groups even.

“I’ve to take additional care and provides him the respect he deserves, however not an excessive amount of respect as a result of he’s taking part in England and we are able to trigger them issues. The sport will not be England v Mbappé. The sport is England v France.

He’s participant and in good kind however I’m not going to roll out the purple carpet for him and inform him to go and rating. I’m representing my nation at a quarter-final of a World Cup. It’s do or die. If we lose we go house. He’s not going to face in my means and hopefully successful a World Cup for my nation.”

French defender Ibrahima Konaté additionally pressured that Mbappe, who has 5 objectives already, wasn’t the one risk from France. “Football isn’t played by one or two players, it is played by the whole team.”