Harry Kane vs Kylian Mbappe: Pochettino reveals difference between England and France stars as only man to coach both
MAURICIO POCHETTINO has revealed what the differences are between Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe ahead of England’s clash with France.
Both forwards are set to come face-to-face when the Three Lions face Les Bleus in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday.
Mbappe, who gave the French a scare this week by sitting out training, comes in to the game in red-hot form.
He scored twice in the 3-1 victory over Poland in the last-16 to make him the tournament’s current top scorer with five.
But Kane got off the mark in Qatar to help England stuff Senegal 3-0 to set-up Le Crunch clash.
Both the stars have the hopes of their respective nations resting on their shoulders – but only one person has the fame to claim of managing both players in their careers.
Pochettino was in charge of Tottenham between 2014 and 2019 and oversaw the emergence of the 29-year-old Kane onto the world stage.
He then took charge of Paris Saint-Germain in January 2021 and remained in the hotseat at Parc des Princes until last summer with Mbappe part of his star-studded attack which also included Neymar and Lionel Messi.
Now ahead of the head-to-head between his two former players, Poch has discussed what the differences between them is.
He told The Athletic: “I saw Harry as more of an old-fashioned No 9 from the beginning. Perhaps because of his physical characteristics and the way he moved. But we helped him to run, helped him to press, and to move into different areas, using different spaces on the pitch.
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“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 you want him to do that, he needs the capacity to run, rather than just being a pivot in the box. So we improved his capacity to suffer. To play like that, you need legs.
“And if Harry drops into those positions in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday, it will be difficult for France to stop.”
Pochettino continued: “The problem is when he is constantly dropping into midfield. Sometimes that is because the team needs him, but sometimes it is because he wants to get on the ball, rather than being in the box to score goals. For me, and my idea of football, when he’s in the box, he can be the most helpful.
“Harry is about scoring goals. He can’t think that his priority is to be a playmaker. He’s not Christian Eriksen, he’s Harry Kane. He’s one of the best strikers in the world and his main work should be in the box.”
The Argentinean then said: “When I first met Kylian, he was really, really confident — completely different to a young Harry.
“Of course Kylian has an ego, but in a good way. All big players have big egos. It’s impossible not to. He is arrogant in the right, in the best, way.
“So I found at PSG that if Kylian made a mistake, I could explain why to him, what we needed him to do, so that he could try to improve for every single game.
“Maybe the media gives a different image, but the reality is that he was a really nice guy to manage.
“And unlike Harry, Kylian is a player who does not need to be connected with the overall game. He can be there for five or even 10 minutes, not involved in the game, not involved with his team, and then just appear, do something amazing, and win you the match.
“Harry is someone who does need to feel connected with the game. But Kylian is the opposite. If he doesn’t touch the ball, he’s relaxed.
“He’s so confident in himself, he knows that when the ball reaches him, he is still going to beat his opponent and do what he knows best.”
