West Ham United midfielder Flynn Downes fully expects club captain and England star Declan Rice to keep France star Kylian Mbappe quiet in their World Cup quarter-final clash on Saturday.
The Hammers captain has been a key cog for England in their run to the World Cup quarter-finals so far, starting all four of their matches at the tournament to set up a quarter-final clash with defending champions France on Saturday.
Downes has been impressed with Rice and England's form at the tournament so far which has seen them score 12 goals from their four games, including three each for Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and Manchester United's Marcus Rashford.
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While Downes has been impressed by Rice, for him, it is just a continuation of what he is used to seeing on a daily basis at club level.
"He has done unbelievable. I think the whole team has done well apart from the USA game," said Downes.
"Dec has been the same old. Performing well, he is a role model. I am on holiday and he is performing. I will get there one day hopefully.
"It is testament to him and all the work he puts in. The rewards are paying off. Fair play to him."
The big talk going into England's first meeting with France at a major tournament since Euro 2012 has been about France's star forward Mbappe.
Despite playing for France on the left wing as opposed to a central striker, Mbappe has already netted five goals at the tournament, scoring two more goals than any other player.
The 23-year-old, who was named as the world's sixth best player for 2022 in August, is among the favourites to win the Golden Boot award, but in Downes' mind, he backs Hammers captain Rice to nulify Mbappe's threat during the last-eight clash.
"Of course he can. He (Mbappe) is a world class player but I think Declan is one of the best midfielders in the world. It will be good to see him tested against the best," added Downes.
"I think he is definitely told to be more defensive minded for England. I don’t know if he likes that to be honest – I haven’t spoken to him since he has been out there.
"It will be good to see him against France, against top players. He is playing a more defensive role - it will be good to see him against Mbappe. But there is Greizmman and Rabiot too. They are a good team - it is not a bad 11."
Rice has been a regular for England in recent years and helped the Three Lions reach the final of the European Championships for the first time ever last year, only for England to lose to Italy on penalties.
But what is it that makes Rice such a key man for both club and country? In Downes' mind, he has both the technical quality and the physical aspect to run the midfield for England as well as he does.
"I think it is everything about him. His attributes, the way he reads the game. He is an athlete, everyone knows that," Downes explained.
"He is strong, he is quick. On the ball he is very good. And he just knows the position. He is one of the best in the world in that position. Simple as that."
Rice is potentially just three games away from becoming a World Cup winner, should continue their stunning run of form in the tournament and would become the second in the squad, after France goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, who is eyeing a second consecutive World Cup title this month.
Downes believes that should Rice return to the West Ham squad this month as a world champion, it would give the whole squad a significant lift, with the Hammers currently sat 16 th and just a point clear of relegation in the Premier League table.
"It would be massive, the energy it would bring back to us. It would be everything," added Downes.
"It would lift us and hopefully that will rub off on us in the games. So hopefully they will get the job done and we go from there."
Rice is likely to keep his starting place in the England midfield against France if his fit. However, there are some concerns over him, having missed training on Wednesday through illness.
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