MY ACCOUNT
England take on France in a major tournament for the first time in a decade on Saturday as the sides meet in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Les Bleus were crowned champions in 2018 and are looking to become only the third nation to retain the famous Jules Rimet trophy after Italy and Brazil.
The Three Lions are hoping to upset Didier Deschamps’ men, but they must find a way to stop talismanic forward Kylian Mbappe.
Check out our combined XI — who line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation — below and let us know if you agree with our selections.
Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford (England)
Jordan Pickford has been a standout performer in Qatar and is part of an England side who have only conceded twice throughout the tournament.
It was a tough call between the Everton stopper and Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris, but the stats suggest that Pickford should get the nod.
The 28-year-old has kept three clean sheets and has made double the number of saves as Lloris, securing his spot in our combined XI.
Right-back: Kyle Walker (England)
Despite being sidelined for Manchester City in the run-up to the tournament with injury, Kyle Walker has looked as fit as ever for his country.
A lightning-quick full-back, he provides boss Gareth Southgate with a safety net when it comes to preventing counter-attacks and pacey opponents.
He beats out Jules Kounde who has been played out of position under Deschamps.
Centre-back: Raphael Varane (France)
Manchester United defender Raphael Varane was not Deschamps’ favoured choice in France’s opener against Australia, but he grasped his opportunity against Denmark and has not looked back.
John Stones may play under Pep Guardiola, but his Manchester rival reigns supreme in this backline — and he has the numbers to back it up.
Despite playing one game fewer than the City defender, Varane has made more interceptions and the same number of tackles, giving him the edge.
Centre-back: Dayot Upamecano (France)
Dayot Upamecano has been a colossus for the reigning champions and has proven himself as one of the world’s best defenders.
The Bayern Munich anchor has averaged three tackles per 90 minutes in Qatar, making 1.67 interceptions and completing 2.67 clearances per match.
Harry Maguire looks a different man in an England shirt, but there is no denying Upamecano a spot in our line-up.
Left-back: Theo Hernandez (France)
Only Harry Kane and Bruno Fernandes (three) have provided more assists than Theo Hernandez at the World Cup in 2022.
The AC Milan full-back may only be playing because of injury to his brother Lucas, but there is no doubt that his attacking quality makes France a huge threat.
He comfortably sees off Luke Shaw having made three times the number of tackles as the England left-back. He has also been superior in the air, winning five aerial duels compared to Shaw’s two.
Centre midfield: Jude Bellingham (England)
Jude Bellingham is an all-round superstar and at 19 is set to dominate world football for years to come.
With a goal and an assist to his name, the Borussia Dortmund midfielder is a key player in this clash and his performance could decide England’s fate in the tournament.
Capable of recovering the ball but also driving through the opposition, Southgate’s No22 is unchallenged in our combined XI.
Centre midfield: Adrien Rabiot (France)
Declan Rice and Aurelien Tchouameni both had a case to fill our second centre-midfield spot, but Juventus’ Adrien Rabiot’s performances for the two-time winners have been spectacular.
The 27-year-old has matched Bellingham for goal contributions and has had more shots than the youngster.
His defensive attributes should not be ignored either — Rabiot has made five interceptions and won nine aerial duels. His overall game makes him a worthy inclusion.
Left-midfield: Antoine Griezmann (France)
Despite a relatively quiet domestic season for Atletico Madrid in Spain, Antoine Griezmann has shone once again on the international stage.
The 31-year-old has fended off competition from Bukayo Saka by a thread, despite only registering one assist in Qatar.
His passing and distribution from a wide area have allowed the likes of Mbappe to get in behind the opposition defence and he is sure to be a threat on Saturday.
Attacking midfield: Phil Foden (England)
Many were left bemused when they saw Southgate leave Phil Foden out of his starting XI in England’s first two matches against Iran and the United States.
But a terrific performance against Wales confirmed the Manchester City maestro’s brilliance and his creative expertise was Senegal’s undoing in the last 16.
Foden, 22, has a 100% take-on success rate and has created four big chances in Qatar.
He is a safe bet if the Three Lions are to unlock the French defence in the last eight.
Right-midfield: Kylian Mbappe (France)
Mbappe continues to take the world by storm and looks like he could single-handedly carry France to a successive World Cup title.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward leads the goalscoring charts with five and has two assists to complement his fine form in front of goal.
Deschamps’ main man can play finisher or playmaker and has the freedom to roam in the final third of the pitch — England will have to keep a close eye on him at the Al Bayt Stadium.
Striker: Harry Kane (England)
A knock to the ankle was not enough to prevent Kane from leading his country out for every game at the World Cup.
The Tottenham forward has adopted a deeper position in this England side and is acting as more of a playmaker than a traditional No9.
Fernandes keeps him company at the top of the assist charts, but his threat in front of goal should not be underestimated.
With one goal so far, Kane will be determined to add to his tally, even if it means scoring past club team-mate Lloris.
Do you agree with our line-up? Let us know by tweeting @LiveScore.
