Neymar said he was rooting for himself when asked if he would be supporting club-mates Kylian Mbappe or Lionel Messi in the wake of Brazil's World Cup exit.

Brazil looked set to make the semi-finals in Qatar when Neymar put them ahead against Croatia at Education City Stadium midway through extra time.

But Croatia prevailed 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out following Bruno Petkovic's leveller to leave the pre-tournament favourites' hopes in tatters.

While Brazil are out, Neymar's Paris Saint-Germain team-mates Mbappe of France and Messi of Argentina both still had a chance of winning the tournament when the Selecao squad spoke to reporters after their defeat.

Neymar, though, was not best pleased when asked if he had paid any mind to their fortunes.

"That's hard to talk [about] now," said the 30-year-old, who had been in tears at full-time. "I was rooting for myself."

Neymar's goal, which capped a sublime move started by the PSG star, took him level with the great Pele on 77 international goals for the Selecao.

Gareth Southgate believes it will take a collective effort from England to stop Kylian Mbappe in Saturday's mouthwatering World Cup quarter-final against France.

Mbappe is the tournament's top scorer with five goals in four matches, including a double in the reigning champions' 3-1 victory over Poland in the round of 16.

Kyle Walker is the player many believe will be chosen to deal with the power and pace of Mbappe, with the possibility that Southgate will opt to play with a back five.

The Three Lions boss does not think it will all be on Walker to stop the Paris Saint-Germain star, stating that every player will have to chip in.

"He’s [Walker] been a very important player for us over the last six years," Southgate said.

"Kyle is ready. We, of course, are talking about one of the opposition, but we play France who are a fantastic team.

"We're aware of the quality of the whole squad. He's [Didier Deschamps] created a team that is stronger than the individuals. That's great credit to him, we know we've got to be at our very best to win the game."

Asked how England will prepare for Mbappe, Southgate said: "Same as every position on the field, you have 10 one-v-one battles, but then everybody else round those battles has to support their team-mate.

"You've got to work collectively to stop any player like that. You’ve got to work the areas of the pitch zonally to make sure there's good coverage and support for every player on the pitch, simple as that."

France are unbeaten in the 13 games in which Mbappe has started in the World Cup and European Championship combined (W10 D3), winning all nine in which he has played from the beginning at the World Cup.

The 23-year-old has been directly involved in 12 goals in those 13 starts, scoring nine and making three assists.

England captain Harry Kane, though, believes Walker is in the form of his life and is more than capable of dealing with Mbappe.

"Kyle is a fantastic defender," Kane said. "He's been probably the most consistent right back there's been for the last 10 years or so.

"He's playing at the highest level I think he's ever played at. I know everyone's talking about Kyle and Kylian, but Kyle will be focused on doing his job for the team as he always does. He's one of the best defenders."

France are not overly dependent on Kylian Mbappe, according to head coach Didier Deschamps.

Mbappe has been in sparkling form at the Qatar World Cup and is the top scorer in the competition with five goals from four appearances.

The 23-year-old's double in the last-16 win over Poland has taken his tally of World Cup goals to nine, as many as Lionel Messi and more than Cristiano Ronaldo.

World champions France are unbeaten in the 13 games Mbappe has started in major competitions – outside of penalty shoot-outs – and will be hoping that record continues against England at Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday, with a place in the semi-finals up for grabs.

Deschamps dismissed the idea France rely too heavily on the Paris Saint-Germain forward, who has now scored 250 goals for club and country.

"I'm sure England will have prepared to face Kylian as our previous opponents did, but he's in a position to make the difference," Deschamps said in a press conference.

"Even in the last match, he didn't show his top form, but he was still decisive.

"We have other players that can be dangerous as well, so that helps us not be over-dependent on Kylian.

"But Kylian is Kylian, and he has that capacity to make the difference in any moment."

A major talking point in the build-up to the game has been the match-up between Mbappe and England right-back Kyle Walker, who could play either in a back four or a back five in order to combat the France forward's threat.

France captain Hugo Lloris played with Walker at Tottenham and said Mbappe is putting the talk to one side.

"I think Kylian is preparing very well. Trying to ignore a lot of the talk about him, it's really not something he needs," he said.

"He's very focused on his objectives, individually and collectively. He seems very happy, playing with a smile on his face and seems very focused on the match ahead of us.

"That's how he's looked from the beginning of this tournament."

While the focus will be on Mbappe at one end of the pitch, England captain Harry Kane – who won the Golden Boot at Russia 2018 – could be decisive at the other, having scored his first goal of the tournament in the Three Lions' 3-0 defeat of Senegal in the round of 16.

"I only have positive things to say about Harry, he's very important for the team, club and for England as well," Lloris said of his Spurs team-mate.

"A real leader, an example for his team-mates, and he's a top player. 

"Harry's someone who is known all over the world – not sure I can add too much to what is known. Our focus will be on representing our countries."

France are not overly dependent on Kylian Mbappe, according to head coach Didier Deschamps.

Mbappe has been in sparkling form at the Qatar World Cup and is the top scorer in the competition with five goals from four appearances.

The 23-year-old's double in the last-16 win over Poland has taken his tally of World Cup goals to nine, as many as Lionel Messi and more than Cristiano Ronaldo.

World champions France are unbeaten in the 13 games Mbappe has started in major competitions – outside of penalty shoot-outs – and will be hoping that record continues against England at Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday, with a place in the semi-finals up for grabs.

Deschamps dismissed the idea France rely too heavily on the Paris Saint-Germain forward, who has now scored 250 goals for club and country.

"I'm sure England will have prepared to face Kylian as our previous opponents did, but he's in a position to make the difference," Deschamps said in a press conference.

"Even in the last match, he didn't show his top form, but he was still decisive.

"We have other players that can be dangerous as well, so that helps us not be over-dependent on Kylian.

"But Kylian is Kylian, and he has that capacity to make the difference in any moment."

A major talking point in the build-up to the game has been the match-up between Mbappe and England right-back Kyle Walker, who could play either in a back four or a back five in order to combat the France forward's threat.

France captain Hugo Lloris played with Walker at Tottenham and said Mbappe is putting the talk to one side.

"I think Kylian is preparing very well. Trying to ignore a lot of the talk about him, it's really not something he needs," he said.

"He's very focused on his objectives, individually and collectively. He seems very happy, playing with a smile on his face and seems very focused on the match ahead of us.

"That's how he's looked from the beginning of this tournament."

While the focus will be on Mbappe at one end of the pitch, England captain Harry Kane – who won the Golden Boot at Russia 2018 – could be decisive at the other, having scored his first goal of the tournament in the Three Lions' 3-0 defeat of Senegal in the round of 16.

"I only have positive things to say about Harry, he's very important for the team, club and for England as well," Lloris said of his Spurs team-mate.

"A real leader, an example for his team-mates, and he's a top player. 

"Harry's someone who is known all over the world – not sure I can add too much to what is known. Our focus will be on representing our countries."

Qatar 2022 is a World Cup like no other, and the host nation performed like no other.

Theirs was the worst group-stage record of any home side at a World Cup, becoming the first to lose all three matches and conceding a landmark seven goals. Only South Africa, in 2010, had previously failed to make it out of the first round.

Controversially awarded the tournament months after Spain's Barcelona-inspired success at South Africa 2010, Qatar had plenty of time to prepare and soon put its faith in Catalan coach Felix Sanchez.

He worked first with the nation's youth teams before taking the top job five years out from the World Cup.

Although Sanchez led Qatar to Asian Cup success in 2019, he never considered a World Cup run a serious possibility – or so he said after a third straight defeat last month.

"Our country has 6,000 federation football licences, so this was a likely outcome," he explained. "We never set a goal to reach the round of 16 or quarter-finals."

While Sanchez believed this to be a "very realistic" approach, Qatar undoubtedly underwhelmed.

However, fortunately for those with a vested interest in the country boosting its reputation at the finals, its presence on the pitch extends beyond Sanchez's national team.

Lionel Messi and Neymar, like Sanchez, were poached by Qatar from Barcelona, and they are having a far greater impact.

Of course, neither are counted among the naturalised Qatari citizens who turned out in the colours of the gulf nation, but the South American superstars, along with Kylian Mbappe, represent Qatari-owned Paris Saint-Germain every time they step out on the field.

If disappointed by Qatar's woeful displays before his eyes, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir, could at least therefore be heartened by the influence of his club side.

PSG's takeover by Qatar Sports Investments followed hot on the heels of FIFA's vote for the 2022 hosting rights, yet it scarcely could have dreamed of the status its players would enjoy when the tournament finally came around.

Admittedly, things could have been very different had this World Cup taken place in the Northern Hemisphere's summer, as is the norm.

At the end of the 2021-22 season, Messi was coming off the worst club campaign of his career, Neymar had again spent long stretches out injured, and Mbappe appeared set to leave PSG for Real Madrid.

Six months on, all three were in form, all three were fit, and all three were still at PSG.

In Europe's top five leagues, Erling Haaland (21) alone has more goal involvements in 2022-23 than Neymar (20). Mbappe (10) leads the same metric in the Champions League. Both in Europe's top five leagues and in the Champions League, Messi sets the benchmark for assists (10 and four).

For Messi and Mbappe, that level of performance has continued in Qatar. They have carried Argentina and France respectively into the quarter-finals, with Messi scoring three and assisting one of La Albiceleste's seven goals while Mbappe has netted five and created two of the world champions' nine.

Meanwhile, Neymar was forced to watch as his club colleagues seized control of this competition, injured after a brutal Brazil opener in which he was fouled nine times by Serbia players and hobbled off with a severely swollen ankle.

But now he has come to the party – and it is always a party where Brazil are concerned.

Neymar scored one goal and assisted another in a dazzling first half against South Korea that set up a 4-1 last-16 victory. He is the first Brazil player since at least 1966 to both score and assist at three different World Cups.

The first of those Neymar World Cup goals came back in 2014 against next opponents Croatia, who have not looked capable of stopping a Selecao side in full flow, scraping past Japan only after a penalty shoot-out.

As in Sao Paulo at Brazil's home World Cup, the stands at Education City Stadium will be decked in yellow for Friday's quarter-final, although many of those present will be supporting Neymar himself as much as his team.

Travelling fans from outside the Middle East are in relatively short supply in Qatar, but there are no shortage of Neymar, Messi or Mbappe shirts at Brazil, Argentina or France matches.

It speaks to the success of the PSG project that this foothold in the world game has been established not by Qatar's investment in its national team or by its hosting of the greatest tournament of all.

While there is focus in Europe on QSI's failure to deliver Champions League glory, its thirst for star-power has been rewarded with a genuine interest in the last eight of a World Cup, Qatar's own World Cup.

And unlike in club competitions, where cohesion is key and PSG cannot blow the best teams away, superstars can single-handedly decide the day at this level.

Brazil – and QSI – have one of those; there could yet be cause for celebration for Sheikh Tamim and Qatar if Neymar again performs like the world's most expensive player over the next 10 days.

A move to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to Paris Saint-Germain would be "impossible", according to club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

Ronaldo and Manchester United parted ways after an explosive interview in which the Portugal star said he felt "betrayed" by senior figures at the club, while claiming to have "no respect" for manager Erik ten Hag.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner's exit has led to much discussion over his next club, with Ligue 1 giants PSG one of the teams rumoured to be interested in making a move for the 37-year-old.

But PSG president Al-Khelaifi ruled out any potential deal, although he did speak highly of the former Real Madrid man.

"He's a legend, he's a star," Al-Khelaifi told Sky Sports News. "The footballer, I admire and love him as a player and professional. A fantastic player.

"He's 37 now – he's doing amazing. But every single club wants to sign him too. The problem today for us is we have the position [filled] – his position – so it's not easy to replace the position that we have with him.

"It would be impossible, honestly, for us."

One of those players PSG have in Ronaldo's position is Kylian Mbappe, who is currently leading the goalscoring charts at the World Cup in Qatar with France.

Mbappe was heavily linked with a move from PSG to Real Madrid earlier this year, but the 23-year-old instead signed a bumper new contract to stay in the French capital.

Al-Khelaifi believes it was vital to keep Mbappe at PSG, saying: "For me he's a very top, top player and a top human being, professional.

"For me it was really key he stayed and he didn't leave for free. That's another important point.

"As I always said, I always trusted him, trusted his family because we created something of a special relation with the player and them and that's why… he's Parisian, he's French and he's proud always to be in France."

France are struggling to see how Kyle Walker will stop Kylian Mbappe running rampant in Saturday's World Cup showdown with England.

The tussle down the French left has been characterised as the key battleground ahead of the quarter-final at Al Bayt Stadium.

Mbappe's electric pace, sublime dribbling skills and eye for goal have made him the standout player at the finals so far, and the leading scorer with five goals.

Manchester City right-back Walker is the oldest player in the England squad, but the 32-year-old is also said to be the quickest. As such, it falls kindly for manager Gareth Southgate that Walker should naturally be the man to keep an eye on Mbappe.

Walker said on Wednesday that stopping Mbappe will be "easier said than done", but he added: "I'm not going to roll out a red carpet for him and tell him to score."

France defender Youssouf Fofana will reluctantly applaud Walker if he keeps Mbappe quiet.

He pointed to French Ligue 1 clubs having previously all set out with game plans to handle the Paris Saint-Germain frontman, only to have those blown out of the water by the 23-year-old's sheer brilliance.

"It's all to his credit if he knows how to stop Kylian, but 19 other teams in Ligue 1 are still waiting for the solution," Fofana said at a France press conference on Thursday.

"The truth is out there, we'll see what happens. We have confidence in Kylian."

Fofana described England and France as being "quite close in terms of culture" and said Southgate's side possessed "incredible" individuals.

"We've seen it since the Euros, they're constantly progressing. It will be a great match," said the 23-year-old Monaco player.

As a teenager, with his career in limbo after leaving the French national football academy at Clairefontaine, Fofana delivered pizzas for a living while trying to forage for a way forward in his preferred career.

He needed to earn a crust, but doors soon began to open as Strasbourg gave him an opportunity, before Monaco came calling almost three years ago.

"When you leave Clairefontaine, there are doubts," Fofana said of that time in his life. "When there are doubts you have to move forward. You need money, I had to make some. It was the best way to do that while trying to follow my dreams."

Declan Rice is fit to play for England against France in their World Cup quarter-final, Three Lions team-mate Kalvin Phillips confirmed.

Rice missed England's training session on Wednesday because of illness, sparking fears over his ability to play against the reigning world champions on Saturday.

But Phillips, who formed a vital partnership with Rice in England's route to the Euro 2020 final, allayed any worries over the West Ham midfielder's availability.

"I believe Dec [Rice] is fit," Phillips told reporters at his pre-match news conference. "He's back in training and he's fine."

After playing such a vital role at the European Champions last year, Phillips has played just 40 minutes off the bench in Qatar, in part due to only recently returning from shoulder surgery.

However, Phillips insists he is ready to fill in if Rice does experience any problems against France, saying: "If something goes wrong then I'll be there and I'll do my best to be fit for 90 minutes.

"I want to play as many minutes as possible. Regardless of whether Dec is playing or I am, we'll do our best."

Another reason for Phillips' limited time on the pitch has been the emergence of 19-year-old Jude Bellingham, who has been widely praised for his excellent tournament displays at such a young age.

Asked whether he is enjoying the tournament less because of his reduced minutes, the Manchester City man insisted he was still happy, and also praised those preferred to him.

"I am still enjoying it. I am still having loads of fun," Phillips explained. "I'm not playing as much, which can be frustrating, but if you look at the players playing ahead of me and how well they are doing, I can't really argue.

"I just need to keep working hard and getting fitter and fitter and then make an impact when I come on and be solid when I come on."

Much of the talk in the build-up to England's quarter-final clash has centred on how manager Gareth Southgate will combat the threat of tournament top goalscorer Kylian Mbappe.

Phillips' City team-mate Kyle Walker is the man many feel will be chosen to deal with Mbappe, though the defender only recently returned from injury.

While Phillips lauded Mbappe's abilities, he is confident Walker will be up to the task of defending against him, adding: "We know he [Mbappe] is an amazing player and he has been one of the top players for the last few years.

"But if there was anyone I would like to put up against Mbappe, it would be Kyle Walker because he is an unbelievable defender and probably the only one that is quicker than him as well."

Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe would be "completely compatible" as a strike partnership and Mauricio Pochettino would love to see it happen, he revealed ahead of England's World Cup clash with France.

Pochettino has coached both players, as boss of Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain, and would love to work with Kane again one day, should the England captain seek to leave Spurs.

Argentinian Pochettino will be a neutral when England and France go head-to-head at Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday, but his experience of coaching the two chief goal threats on each side means he has a vested interest.

He says both Kane and Mbappe "genuinely love the game", unlike some players he has come across.

"They love to talk about football, they love to talk about tactics, they have brains that really understand football. And this is why I think it would be so good to see them playing together. They would be completely compatible," Pochettino said.

He predicted an "amazing" connection, but stressed: "Maybe it will never happen; when I was at PSG, I knew Tottenham would never want to sell Harry."

Pochettino is not working as a coach in this instant, but he is regularly linked with top jobs when vacancies arise, and he said that "maybe one day in the future, if I am at a different club, and if Harry has decided to leave Tottenham, maybe I would try to bring Harry with me".

He credits Kane as having "saved my career" with a free-kick winner for Tottenham at Aston Villa in November 2014, and recalled nurturing the talent of "an old-fashioned number nine" to become the multi-faceted striker the England skipper is now.

Pochettino told The Athletic he and his coaching staff helped Kane "to run, helped him to press, and to move into different areas, using different spaces on the pitch.

"So he was a player who could play in the box or outside it, because his capacity to understand the game is amazing. He senses what the team needs, and when it’s under pressure he can drop into midfield, to help the team to progress the ball up the pitch or to provide assists.

"And if Harry drops into those positions in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday, it will be difficult for France to stop."

Pochettino says that "constantly" dipping into midfield duties can also be a problem for Kane, given it blunts his frontline threat, and urged him to prioritise his work inside the penalty area.

Mbappe is the World Cup's leading scorer with five goals at Qatar 2022, and the 23-year-old has been in revelatory form, bringing his peak PSG game to the international stage.

Although Mbappe might rub some up the wrong way with his showmanship and imperious personality, Pochettino says it is "impossible not to" have a big ego when a footballer is given such acclaim, and he stressed the former Monaco player is "arrogant in the right, in the best way"

Offering high praise, Pochettino likened Mbappe to the great Brazilian Ronaldo, top scorer at the 2002 World Cup for the triumphant Selecao.

"It's in that capacity to accelerate, the technique, to dribble past opponents and score," Pochettino said.

Kylian Mbappe is France's "main weapon" but Adrien Rabiot insists Les Bleus are not dependent on the forward in their quest to defend their World Cup crown.

The Paris Saint-Germain star leads the goalscoring charts at Qatar 2022 with five to date, and bagged a brace as Didier Deschamps' side progressed to the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win over Poland.

That has set up France's toughest test of the tournament on paper in the shape of Euro 2020 finalists England, where the attacker will be looking to make a difference once again.

Despite having needed Mbappe to fire them forward on several occasions so far, Rabiot says he is not the only member of their squad who can help win games.

"There is no dependency," Rabiot stated. "He is our main weapon, but we also have other players who can make a difference in other ways.

"We count on him as on all the players in the group. Everyone needs to be good health to face England.

Ibrahima Konate is relishing the chance to see Kylian Mbappe and Kyle Walker's battle up close and personal when France face England in the World Cup quarter-finals.

Les Bleus are into the last eight after victory over Poland, with Didier Deschamps' side now set to take on Gareth Southgate's Three Lions, one of the few unbeaten sides left at Qatar 2022.

Forward Mbappe, who sits atop the Golden Boot standings with five goals to his name, has been the form player at the tournament so far.

But he will face arguably his toughest test yet in England right-back Walker, with Konate looking forward to seeing the pair square off.

"Walker and Mbappe are two very great players," he said. "Walker is one of the best right-backs in the world, I cannot wait to see this battle.

"[But] it's complicated [to defend against Mbappe]. Kylian is impressive. Each year, he evolves and becomes even better.

"I don't know where he will stop. We are lucky to have him in our team and not against us."

Mbappe missed team training on Tuesday, instead completing routines inside away from the rest of the squad, sparking fears of a potential injury knock.

But Konate shut down such talk, suggesting instead it was a preordained decision as part of his post-match recovery process.

"It was a little recovery session, the day before we had a day off," he added. "I think he decided to stay indoors with the coach.

"There is nothing to worry about. We are counting on him as on all the players in the group. Everyone must be in good health to face England."

Kyle Walker will not "roll out a red carpet" for Kylian Mbappe as England prepare to face France in the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.

Mbappe is the tournament's top scorer so far with five goals in four matches, including a double in the reigning champions' 3-1 victory over Poland in the round of 16.

That win set up a clash in the final eight with England, giving Three Lions' manager Gareth Southgate a headache on how to best counter the threat of Mbappe.

Walker is the player many believe will be chosen to deal with the power and pace of Mbappe, with the possibility that Southgate will opt to play with a back five.

While Walker lauded Mbappe's talents, the Manchester City defender feels he is well-equipped to cope with the Paris Saint-Germain star.

"Of course I understand the focus and I understand what I need to do to stop him," Walker told reporters. "It's easier said than done but I don't underestimate myself.

"I've come up against some of the best players in the world but I have to treat it just as another game. You have to give him respect but not too much.

"I'm not going to roll out a red carpet for him and tell him to score. It's a World Cup, it's do or die.

"I'm not going home so I'm not going to let him ruin that for my family."

Other France forwards have impressed alongside Mbappe, such as Ousmane Dembele and Olivier Giroud, the latter of whom became Les Bleus' all-time record goalscorer with his strike against Poland, with Walker stressing the focus is not just on the PSG forward.

Walker says it is important England pay due attention to all of France's attackers, and not just Mbappe, adding: "It will be a tough game but a team cannot just be about one person.

"When we've [City] played Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, we're not just thinking of Mbappe and it's the same on Saturday. 

"He's a tool in their armoury - and a very good one - but you can't underestimate their other players.

"We know he's a great player and that's why he's the focus of all questions. But let's not forget Olivier Giroud who has scored lots of goals, Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann.

"For me all the questions shouldn't be about him [Mbappe]. I appreciate he's a great footballer, but there are others too."

At 32-years-old, Walker is one of the older members of England's squad, with young stars such as Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham playing a starring role in England's campaign so far.

Walker commended the Three Lions' new generation, reserving particular praise for Bellingham, who has lit up the tournament with his sparkling midfield displays at just 19-years-old.

"It is great for the English game," Walker declared. "As you mentioned, Jude [Bellingham] being one who has the courage to play for England that others didn't have when they were younger.

"They have no fear and they go in and express themselves. I feel the standard of players has gone up another level in this tournament."

Kylian Mbappe was absent from France's training session four days before the holders face England in a World Cup quarter-final.

The leading scorer in the tournament, with five goals from four appearances, was in the recovery room on Tuesday when his team-mates trained at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.

Mbappe had been troubled by an ankle injury before the tournament started in Qatar.

The Paris-Saint Germain man has shown no signs of being hampered, lighting up the tournament and putting himself in pole position to claim the Golden Boot.

He scored two superb goals in a 3-1 round-of-16 win over Poland on Sunday, having also helped himself to a decisive double in a victory over Denmark and found the back of the net in an opening win over Australia.

Mbappe has also provided two assists for the defending champions.

Al Bayt Stadium will be the venue for a huge last-eight showdown between Les Bleus and Gareth Southgate's side, who beat Senegal 3-0 to move into the quarter-finals.

Oliver Giroud hopes his "natural and spontaneous" relationship with Kylian Mbappe will transmit "enthusiasm" throughout the France side ahead of their World Cup quarter-final showdown with England.

Mbappe is the leading scorer at this year's finals with five goals, including a brace in Les Bleus' last-16 victory over Poland, while he has also assisted two of Giroud's three strikes in Qatar.

That included a precise throughball for the Milan forward to net his record-breaking 52nd international goal against the Poles, moving him ahead of Thierry Henry on France's all-time scoring list.

"My relationship with Mbappe is very good and, for me, it always has been," the 36-year-old said.

"It's natural and spontaneous. High-level sport brings magical moments to life and it is this enthusiasm that we want to convey in this team."

Reigning champions France are now just three victories away from becoming the third nation to successfully defend their World Cup crown, and first since Brazil in 1962.

Giroud says Didier Deschamps' side believe they can achieve the feat, but he is wary of the challenge to be posed by the Three Lions, who have scored 12 goals in their four matches so far.

"We are confident, but there are still three games to win," he added. "We know it would be huge for history to do it, but we're just focused on the game against England.

"The profiles of the players on the wide areas are those who are fast, tackle and take up spaces. They are also dangerous on set-pieces, with size.

"There are amazing players in all areas of the game. We will have to be vigilant in defence, but so will they."

England's focus cannot be on Kylian Mbappe alone when they face France in the World Cup quarter-finals, says Luke Shaw.

Gareth Southgate's side will face Les Bleus on Saturday after both reached the last-eight in comfortable fashion, with the Three Lions running out 3-0 victors over Senegal.

Didier Deschamps' defending champions meanwhile overcame Poland 3-1, with Mbappe celebrating a double and Olivier Giroud breaking the nation's all-time goalscorer record.

Shaw warned the quality of talent across the board is something England must address rather than keep their focus firmly on stopping Paris Saint-Germain superstar Mbappe, who has five goals at Qatar 2022 already to his name.

"Obviously after his performance [against Poland], there's going to be even more chat about him," he said. "But we know he's a world-class player.

"I think it would be very naive of us to focus purely on him. They're reigning world champions for a reason and we need to focus on them as a whole team.

"They have brilliant players over the whole pitch, so we're not going to fully focus on him, but it's an amazing tie to be involved in and that's why we're here."

England posted their third clean sheet of the tournament in four matches against Senegal, as Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka fired the Three Lions to victory.

Shaw feels it marked another forward step for the team but stressed they will need to be fully switched on to deal with their toughest opponent yet.

"I think we're really happy with the victory, another clean sheet obviously," he added. "We were more clinical in front of goal. We defended well as well, not too many chances for them.

"In the first half, a couple of sloppy passes put [us] under pressure, but apart from that, overall I think it's a solid performance. It needs to give us confidence and the belief.

"We have to be at 100 per cent to win this game, and we know that. I think we need to step up another level because France are a very good team."