France star Kylian Mbappe is relaxed and ready to repeat his last-16 heroics in Friday’s World Cup quarter-final against Uruguay, according to Hugo Lloris. Mbappe scored twice and won a penalty in a devastating performance in the 4-3 win over Argentina in Kazan. The Paris Saint-Germain forward’s performance led to praise from across the footballing world, including from Brazil great Pele, who was the last teenager to score twice in a World Cup match back in 1958. Lloris says his team-mate is well aware he needs to grasp his chance to impress on the biggest stage but does not think he has become burdened by expectations.
2 – Kylian Mbappe is the first teenager to score at least twice in a World Cup match since Pele vs Sweden in 1958. Boss. #FRA #ARG #FRAARG #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/3yS6qz5zCp
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 30, 2018
“He’s the same old person, true to himself, he smiles, he’s relaxed,” he told a news conference in Nizhny Novgorod.
“He’s a player with so much ambition, he has so much to offer his teams, be it PSG or France. He has a bright future ahead of him but he’s also very aware that, when opportunity knocks, he needs to seize it and he’s doing everything he can to not miss his chance here.
“He’s ready to help the team. I think the entire world saw him shine against Argentina but he’s very much focused.”