HE is the best football player in the world in the eyes of many, he is approaching his peak and has just completed a dream move.
However, according to a French World Cup winner, Real Madrid new boy Kylian Mbappe may not make the combined England-France squad.
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Emmanuel Petit is well qualified to give such a shocking verdict to the attackers.
The former Chelsea and Barcelona midfielder played alongside the Premier League’s all-time greatest strikers 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 ALL could be good enough for France, ahead of 25-year-old Mbappe.
Three Lions captain and top scorer Harry Kane is returning to full fitness just days before Euro 2024 – in which the Three Lions could face Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Phil Foden is flying after his best season yet for champions Manchester City.
And although Bukayo Sako has been less consistent this season, the winger remains Arsenal’s standout attacking talent.
In total, Petit believes that five Englishmen could enter a French team that is favorites alongside Gareth Southgate’s men to win the Euros.
Mbappé’s hat-trick did not save France from the anguish of the World Cup final against Argentina two years ago.
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And his brilliance may also not be enough to replace Saka or Foden if the French can include England stars – at least according to Petit.
The 53-year-old said bestonlinepokersites.ltd: “Harry Kane would join the French team because he is a great scorer.
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“I have enormous 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 Phil Foden can’t play in Mbappe’s place.
“Foden has been incredible this season. He became the manager of Manchester City.
And on the other side, you have Bukayo Saka, who has been tremendous over the last four years for Arsenal.”
Petit is less surprising in his assessment of where you will find other players worthy of going from the Lions to Les Bleus.
The 64-cap former anchor said: “I think in midfield there are more positions that English players can occupy.
“This is where we have talented players, but not enough, in my opinion. Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice can play, no problem.”
Gareth Southgate will take the handbrake off at Euro 2024… because he has no choice
By Charlie Wyett
GARETH SOUTHGATE will have no choice but to take the handbrake off his England squad at Euro 2024.
The defensive crisis plaguing the Three Lions means that Germany’s only option, within reason, will be a direct attack.
Southgate has often been criticized for his safety-first approach – even though he points out that one has to go back to Walter Winterbottom’s teams of the 1950s to find an England manager with a better goalscoring record.
But with crock Harry Maguire left out, Luke Shaw not fit enough to start the tournament and John Stones having made just 12 Premier League appearances this season, this is not a defense you would bet your life on.
The last time England played a major tournament in Germany – the 2006 World Cup – the four defenders selected were Sol Campbell (68 caps), Rio Ferdinand (47), Jamie Carragher (25) and John Terry (24).
This time, when England depart on Monday, the quartet will be Lewis Dunk (six), Joe Gomez (14), Marc Guehi (ten) and Ezri Konsa (three).
That makes Southgate’s decision not to call up 49-cap Eric Dier to his provisional squad all the more strange – especially considering his strong end to the season at Bayern Munich.
The elder statesman in their defense – and the one who absolutely needs to stay fit – is Stones, with 71 caps.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
