KYLIAN MBAPPE sat out training for France on Tuesday ahead of this weekend’s World Cup quarter-final against England.
The 23-year-old was instead working in the recovery room as Les Bleus build up to Saturday’s clash.
Mbappe is currently leading the race for the Golden Boot with five goals in Qatar.
Olivier Giroud admits the Paris St Germain star is the best striker he has played with – and says he will get even better.
Former Arsenal forward Giroud broke Thierry Henry’s all-time goal-scoring record for France when he scored his 52nd goal for his country against Poland in the last 16.
But it is a record he expects Mbappe to beat eventually.
“Kylian is basically one of the best players I’ve played with,” Giroud said. “He is amazing and still young, which is scary as he can still improve.
“He is very efficient and from the beginning he’s been crucial for us, very decisive. He’s obviously the best striker I’ve played with in all of the teams I’ve played in.
“We’ve not seen the best of him, I hope it’s going to come soon and he will beat all the records.”
France face England for a place in the semi-finals on Saturday in what Giroud believes will be a “special” game.
“For England, they have had a good tournament,” added the 36-year-old. “I hope they will have a tough game on Saturday.
“I know this team very well. It’s a special game for us. They have so many young players in this generation, I think they have quality and quantity in the squad.
“They have different options and it will be a nice game to watch. I hope it’s going to go well for us.”
This is a terrible appointment. I love Lennon but this is an absolutely terrible appointment. The standard of football dropped massively from Rodgers to Lennon. Like watching a completely different team. The standard dropped so much.
@Simon Doherty: geniunely believe the only realistic alternative would have been moyes. Don’t think rafa or all the others were realistic.
@Simon Doherty: love the man and Celtic
@Bill Clay: I thought Chris Hughton or even a Paul Lambert would get the job.
@Simon Doherty: the rot had set in long before the rat jumped ship.Lennon has a huge task infront of him.
Hugely impressive win
@Alan Kelly: Agreed re result but terribly bad decision to keep NL as manager permanently.
Like him a lot but his time has come and certainly gone from what I’ve seen.
SG at rangers is a shrewd operator and will be chomping at the bit with this appointment.
Can you imagine the managerial CV’s posted into the CEO at Celtic, while he was trying to decide who to pick?
Dave O’Leary, John Barnes, Steve Staunton or Neil Lennon?
Spoiled for choice!
@Stanley Baggins: Chris Hughton would have been an excellent appointment.
@Ferg: Chris Hughton is a brilliant manager but he’s long ball old school. That type of football might be accepted at a club trying to avoid relegation in the PL, on a limited budget, but it would not be tolerated at a club that are expected to win every game 5 – 0 in the SPL. Why would Celtic pay 4 times the salary to attract Hughton when they can get more or less the same thing with Lennon for 4 times less salary?
Seriously who cares about this league its like cats taking on prods ,its numbing
@rowan hill: cats and prods are mortal enemies, don’t you know?
I reckon He wont take up they’re offer .
Crap leauge with no competition, it be like aul hugh Hefner not pulling at the playboy mansion with that club being a dead cert to win since rangers under.
Similar enough to la Liga, serie a, ligue 1 etc etc etc. All have no competition. Same winners all the time like most leagues in Europe including the bundesliga
@Anthony: that’s a sign that you don’t watch La Liga . There may be the same winners on a regular basis but the other teams as far down as eighth or ninth usually make it to the knock out stages of European football . Scottish football is way off that .
I’m not sure that this is the right appointment. But in fairness to Lennon, it is not his team. Celtic fell over the line this season, probably due to last Summers inactivity in the transfer market.
Lennon should be supported by everyone associated with the club now. The decision has been made now let’s get behind him. 10 in a row here we go.