Bukayo Saka laughed off comparisons with France superstar Kylian Mbappe, insisting ‘there is only one Mbappe, and only one me’ ahead of meeting in a World Cup quarter-final on Saturday, December 10, 2022.
England booked their place in Saturday’s grudge match at the Al Bayt Stadium following a 3-0 win over Senegal, with Saka netting the final England goal on the night.
Bukayo Saka takes his tally at the tournament to three, two behind leading scorer Mbappe, but any talk of being compared to the Paris Saint-Germain superstar has quickly been shot down by Saka himself.
Bukayo Saka was asked if he is England’s own Mbappe, and he said: ‘Thanks, but no. I think there’s only one Mbappe and only one me.’
The Arsenal star has been asked about coming up against Mbappe, who scored four goals at the 2018 FIFA World Cup at the age of 19 and won the Young Player of the Tournament award but played down comparisons with the Paris Saint-Germain superstar.
This is Saka’s first experience of a World Cup – but he appears at home on the biggest stage.
France, who defeated Poland 3-1 in the round of 16 to book a date with England, will represent a significant step up in quality for the Three Lions, but the ‘big’ rivalry between the two nations excites, rather than scares.
As good as Saka and the rest of the front line have been they are the top scorers in the tournament so far. However, the Arsenal ace was quick to credit the defence, which has been a bedrock on which to build success.
The Everton star, Jordan Pickford has only conceded two goals so far in the tournament with both coming in the group stage opener against Iran, but he will undoubtedly face his toughest task against Mbappe and France.
France has scored nine goals in four games so far, with their defeat against Tunisia, where Didier Deschamps made nine changes, their only blank. But England has 12 goals from four matches, currently placing them as the highest scorers at the World Cup.
England is perhaps yet to face a significant test but they will certainly encounter one in the quarter-final as France looks to retain their crown and thus become the first team to do so since Brazil’s back-to-back wins in 1958 and 1962.
Saka was quick to praise the French team but insisted that England also has plenty of talented players. He noted that though France won the World Cup in 2018 and reached the final of Euro 2016, the Three Lions also have experience in the latter stages of tournaments.
Mbappe has been France’s shining light alongside Giroud who has also been banging in the goals. For England, Saka has been one of those English stars impressing in the attack.
Mbappe may have one more goal than Saka but the duo certainly have similar traits. They are both fast, tricky to defend against and have eyes for goal.
What’s next for Bukayo Saka and Kylian Mbappe?
As the two Europe powerhouse will lock horns in the quarter-final of the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the two superstars will be looking forward to firing their nation to the next round of the tournament.
