Poland full-back Matty Cash has warned England ace Kyle Walker that trying to thwart the impact of Kylian Mbappe is easier said than done ahead of the Three Lions quarter-final clash with France.
The Aston Villa defender came up against the French sensation on Sunday afternoon as Poland were on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline, with Mbappe netting twice. Both of the Frenchman's goals were things of beauty that left Wojciech Szczesny helpless between the sticks.
Inevitably, this has sparked plenty of discussion over how England try and minimise the impact Mbappe has on the game on Saturday. The general consensus is to start City talent Walker due to the right-back's incredible recovery pace, something that will undoubtedly come in handy when tasked with stopping the Paris Saint-Germain sensation.
Cash has offered up some insight as to how he prepared to deal with arguably the best player on the planet at this point in time, though it was a mission he did ultimately fail.
"I spent the afternoon watching his clips and I knew it was going to be a tough test, but when he gets the ball, stops and moves, he’s the quickest thing I’ve ever seen,” the Aston Villa favourite explained.
The 25-year old could barely contain his joy over the fact that he did manage to snag a souvenir for his efforts on the day, adding: "I said to him at the end: ‘Can I have your shirt?’ and he gave me his match-worn shirt so I’m delighted with that."
HAVE YOUR SAY! How will Walker fare up against Mbappe? Comment below
Walker is probably unlikely to be interested in a shirt-swap at this time, with his full focus on silencing the man who currently boasts the most goals this tournament.
Mbappe has five to his name so far, but to reduce him to just his goals ignores his other traits that are sure to strike fear into the heart of even someone as experienced as Walker. Cash continued in his assessment of the Frenchman with comments England's right-back should take note of.
"When he stands you up and moves he does it really well. He drops the shoulder, goes short then long. I got into a couple of races with him and I did all right. You look over your shoulder and he’s there."
With that in mind, Cash has actually been kind enough to address Walker's next challenge as he claimed: “Kyle Walker's got way more experience than me, so I don’t need to tell him anything."
"He knows Mbappe is amazing, but I think Kyle Walker is England’s best right-back. So if anyone’s going to stop Mbappe, I think he’s the man to stop him."
Should England triumph against Les Bleus, they would still have some stern tests awaiting them, including potential meetings with the likes of Spain and Brazil.
