HE’s the world’s best footballer in the eyes of many, approaching his peak and has just completed a dream move.
Yet according to a French World Cup winner, Real Madrid new boy Kylian Mbappe might not get in a combined England-France team.
Emmanuel Petit is well qualified to deliver such a shock verdict on strikers.
The ex-Chelsea and Barcelona midfielder played alongside Premier League all-time great attackers Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry in his three years at Arsenal.
And he believes England’s current front three can be so effective together that they might ALL be good enough for France ahead of 25-year-old Mbappe.
Three Lions’ skipper and record scorer Harry Kane is being nursed back to full fitness just days before Euro 2024 – in which the Three Lions could meet Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Phil Foden is flying after his finest season so far for champions Manchester City.
And although Bukayo Sako has arguably been less consistent this season, the winger remains Arsenal’s stand-out talent going forward.
In all, Petit believes five Englishmen could get in a French side who are favourites alongside Gareth Southgate‘s men to win the Euros.
Mbappe’s hat-trick couldn’t save France from World Cup final anguish against Argentina two years ago.
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And his pacy brilliance also might not be enough to displace Saka or Foden if the French could include England stars – at least according to Petit.
The 53-year-old told bestonlinepokersites.ltd: “Harry Kane would get in the France team because he’s a great goal scorer.
“I have huge respect for Olivier Giroud but Kane is one of the best strikers of the last 10 years.
“Even if we have Kylian Mbappe on the left or Ousmane Dembele on the right, that doesn’t mean that Phil Foden cannot play instead of Mbappe.
“Foden has been amazing this season. He has become the boss of Manchester City.
And on the other side, you have Bukayo Saka who has been tremendous for the last four years for Arsenal.”
Petit is less surprising in his assessment of where you’ll find the other players worthy of going from Lions to Les Bleus.
The 64-cap former anchorman said: “I think in the midfield area there are more positions that England players can take.
“This is where we have talented players, but not enough in my opinion. Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice can play, no problem at all.”
By Charlie Wyett
GARETH SOUTHGATE will have no choice but to take the handbrake off his England team at Euro 2024.
The defensive crisis gripping the Three Lions means the only option in Germany, within reason, will be outright attack.
Southgate has often been lambasted for his safety-first approach — even if he points out you must go back to Walter Winterbottom’s sides in the 1950s to find an England manager with a better scoring record.
But with the crocked Harry Maguire left out, Luke Shaw not fit enough to start the tournament and John Stones having made just 12 Premier League starts this season, this is not a defence you would stake your life on.
The last time England went to a major tournament in Germany — the 2006 World Cup — the four centre-backs selected were Sol Campbell (68 caps), Rio Ferdinand (47), Jamie Carragher (25) and John Terry (24).
This time, when England fly out on Monday, the quartet will be Lewis Dunk (six), Joe Gomez (14), Marc Guehi (ten) and Ezri Konsa (three).
It makes Southgate’s decision not to recall the 49-cap Eric Dier for his provisional squad even stranger — especially considering his strong end to the season with Bayern Munich.
The elder statesman in his defence — and the one who absolutely has to stay fit — is 71-cap Stones.
