England star Phil Foden feels France are the 'strongest' team in the competition ahead of a mouthwatering clash between the two nations in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Three Lions saw off Senegal 3-0 in the round of 16 on Sunday and face the reigning champions next for a place in the last-four.
Foden, who bagged two assists on the night, hailed France as the strongest unit in the competition right now but admitted his side are confident of their chances.
Speaking to the press after the match, he said:
“They look like the strongest in the competition up to now. Everywhere you look, they've got talented players but we’ll back ourselves on the day and we're confident.”
Les Bleus clinically dispatched Poland 3-1 earlier in the day with prolific scorer Kylian Mbappe bagging a brace. They are aiming to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend their FIFA World Cup title.
England can put paid to their hopes by pulling off a victory in the last-8 and their stellar display against Senegal means it's a distinct possibility.
Jordan Henderson put them in front in the 38th minute before Harry Kane doubled their advantage in the additional minutes of the first half with a sublime finish.
Just 10 minutes into the restart, the Three Lions came back to haunt the Lions of Teranga with Bukayo Saka netting a third and putting the tie to bed.
For the first time in their history, England have reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup in consecutive tournaments.
England versus France promises to be a FIFA World Cup classic
England and France take on each other at the Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday for a place in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals, and it promises to be a cracker.
Both teams are stacked with enormous quality in all departments, boasting a combination of experienced stars and dynamic young guns.
Being the defending champions, France may seem like the favorites, but they haven't beaten England in any of their previous two FIFA World Cup clashes.
The Three Lions saw off Les Bleus 2-0 in the 1966 edition en route to lifting their first and only title, before ekeing out a 3-1 win in Spain 1982.
Can France finally break the hoodoo or will England spoil their World Cup once more? We can't wait to find out.