France do not consider England star Bellingham to be ‘a threat’ as Upamecano looks ahead to World Cup quarter-final clash
- Les Bleus preparing to face Three Lions
- Semi-final spot up for grabs
- Young stars have been shining in Qatar
WHAT HAPPENED? Les Bleus are the reigning champions and have made impressive progress to the last eight, with Kylian Mbappe starring for them after netting five times so far. Another exciting young talent, Borussia Dortmund midfielder Bellingham, has also been catching the eye, but Upamecano – who is a domestic rival of the talented 19-year-old in the Bundesliga – says France are more concerned with other players in the Three Lions fold.
WHAT THEY SAID: Bayern Munich defender Upamecano has said: “I wouldn't say Jude Bellingham is a threat but they have a very strong team. I know Bellingham: Bayern versus Dortmund, it's war. He has got real talent and is a very good player, is gaining in experience as he is playing in all the matches so I think it will be a really good fight in midfield. We will use our experienced players, (Adrien) Rabiot and (Antoine) Griezmann, and count on them.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The 24-year-old added on the challenge posed by England: “Bukayo Saka likes to cut inside. We'll have to make as few errors as possible. We'll be ready. Marcus Rashford is a very good player. I'm not going to be focused on one player though. England have some really good players, a really good bench for sure, and have a lot of players who can make the difference. We are going to have to be careful and focused. It is going to come down to details so we are going to have to make the least amount of mistakes as possible and I think that team will win the game.”
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WHAT NEXT? France are due to face England on Saturday, with that eagerly-anticipated encounter taking place at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.