France coach Deschamps warns England of Mbappe threat in World Cup showdown

"I imagine England will take measures like our four previous opponents did but Kylian has the ability to make the difference," Deschamps told reporters on Friday ahead of the clash at Al Bayt Stadium in the desert north of Doha.

France coach Didier Deschamps is confident Kylian Mbappe can still make the difference in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final showdown with England even if the opposition put their focus on stopping the superstar forward.

Mbappe is the top scorer at the tournament with five goals in four games, including a brace in the 3-1 win over Poland in the last 16, and England will need to find a way of countering the Paris Saint-Germain striker.

But the holders have formidable quality around Mbappe, with Olivier Giroud, Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann all impressing in Qatar too.

"I imagine England will take measures like our four previous opponents did but Kylian has the ability to make the difference," Deschamps told reporters on Friday ahead of the clash at Al Bayt Stadium in the desert north of Doha.

"Even in the last game, when he wasn't at his best like in the first two, he was still decisive, but if we can share around the danger that stops too many precautions being taken against Kylian.

"But Kylian will always be Kylian, with the ability to be decisive at any moment."

The pressure is intensifying for both sides, but Deschamps has won the World Cup as a player and a coach and the 54-year-old encouraged France not to let the occasion get the better of them.