England will face France in the quarterfinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on December 10 at the Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar.
Les Bleus will want to repeat their impressive performance in their previous match, which they won 3-1 against Poland.
On the other hand, the Three Lions have yet to lose in this year’s World Cup, and they will be looking to extend their four-game winning streak in this competition.
If either team wins, they will advance to the 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinals. This game is crucial.
As a result, the three battles that could determine the outcome of this encounter will be examined in this article.
#3 Harry Kane Vs Raphael Varan
Harry Kane is one of the world’s best finishers right now, and his contributions to England’s attack have been significant.
The striker for Tottenham Hotspur is versatile because he can score and make chances for his teammates to score. In addition, in his four appearances in the competition thus far, the captain has contributed three assists in addition to scoring one goal.
Because he can convert any scoring opportunity, giving Kane enough room in the penalty box could be fatal. Checking his developments in assault is extreme as he could drop profound into the midfield to work with an assault and Raphael Varane should watch out for him in the event that he plans to hold him under the tab in this experience.
Varane, on the other hand, is quick, and France has been impressed by his defensive intuition thus far in this competition. In this encounter, it will be interesting to see if he can use his extensive experience to silence Kane.
#2 Bukayo Saka Vs Theo Hernandez
Saka has scored three goals in three games, making him one of England’s most effective wingers thus far in the competition.
On the right flank, Saka is tricky and very quick with the ball, and his vision in the final third of the field is also remarkable. The Arsenal forward will have a difficult time if he is given enough space to advance with the ball from the right flank.
However, Hernandez has made significant contributions for France, as he has two assists in the competition’s first three games. However, if he wants to control Saka, he will need to be sharp on the defensive end.
#1 Kylian Mbappe Vs Harry Maguire
Mbappe has scored five goals in four games this season, making him arguably the best attacker in the competition.
The forward for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is like a time bomb that can go off at any time during an attack. He can also use his speed to get past defenders. Allowing Mbappe enough space to attack could be risky because he could split defenses on his own.
Harry Maguire will need to be strong defensively if he wants to keep Mbappe under his watch in this encounter because his explosive power makes it difficult to follow his movement during the attack.
However, Maguire has performed admirably for England’s defense thus far in this competition. However, this encounter will put his mastery to the test.