"If Real Madrid want to sign Mbappé, they'd better be quick"

Christian Karembeu, a former World Cup winner with France also hailed Antoine Griezmann: "He could win the Ballon d'Or, but he'd have to win the World Cup".
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13/07/2018 19:00

"If Real Madrid want to sign Mbappé, they'd better be quick" — Michael Dalder REUTERS

Christian Karembeu, former Real Madrid player and a World Cup winner with France 20 years ago, looked ahead to Sunday's final between Les Bleus and Croatia. "It's going to be very difficult, there's no question about that - all finals are. It's a one-off chance to become world champions and it's going to be a tough battle - we're going to have to fight hard for it. I was lucky enough to be a world champions and two decades on, this new generation find themselves facing the same possibility. Let's hope they can do it".

French new wave

Karembeu was taking in part in an event organized by Save the Dream, a charity organization supports and encourages young people's involvement of sport. The ex-player says he is quietly optimistic about his country's chances in Sunday's final and only had word of praise for the excellent crops of young French player emerging. "I think we can win it, we've got Pogba, Mbappé, Griezmann... it will be difficult but it's possible".

Mbappé, "a phenomenon"

When asked about the two stars of the France side, Griezmann and Mbappé, Karembeu replied that both were, without question, among the top players in the world right now: "Griezmann could win the Ballon d'Or, but for that to happen he needs to win the World Cup. I'd really love it for France to become champions again, 20 years later. We've suffered a lot in our games, but we've managed to liberate ourselves from that and now we're playing well. Mbappé? He's a phenomenon. If Real Madrid want to sign him then they'd better be quick..."

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