Cody Gakpo said he will make a decision on his future after the World Cup.

The Dutch striker has been linked with a £50m move to Manchester United.

When asked when he will decide about his future, he said: “After. I’m not thinking about that now.

Read Also: Winning second World Cup is my obsession, says Mbappe 

“I’m just really focused on the tournament, trying to keep performing well and helping the team and hopefully when we become world champions then I can think about that [the future].

The PSV young star who has three gaols in four matches for the Dutch National team in the Qatar 2022 World Cup is on the radar of so many top European teams after an impressive stat in the tournament.

The 23-year old forward would hope to increase his tally as Netherlands faces Argentina in the Qatar finals on Friday and keep their World cup dreams alive.

*PSG forward grabs brace as France punish Poland

Kylian Mbappe said yesterday he dreamed of winning the World Cup for a second time after his brace helped France to a 3-1 win over Poland which advanced the holders to the quarter-finals in Qatar.

 “Of course, this World Cup is an obsession for me, it’s the competition of my dreams,” said the 23-year-old who burst onto the global stage by starring when France won the title in Russia four years ago.

 “I have built my season around this competition and around being ready both physically and mentally for it.

 “I wanted to come here ready and so far things are going well, but we are still a long way from the objective we set and that I set.”

The Paris Saint-Germain superstar now has five goals in just four games at the tournament and is already France’s second-top scorer ever at the World Cup with nine goals in 11 appearances overall.

Only Just Fontaine, who scored an incredible 13 times at the 1958 tournament in Sweden, has more World Cup goals for France.

However Mbappe insisted he was not bothered about the prospect of winning the Golden Ball for the tournament’s best player.

Read Also: Kane, Mbappe send Brazil legend Pele best wishes

 “The only objective for me is to win the World Cup which means now to win the quarter-final,” said Mbappe, who also set up the opening goal against Poland for Olivier Giroud.

 “That is what I am dreaming of. I didn’t come here to win the Golden Ball. That is not why I am here. I am here to win and help the French national team.”

While the veteran Giroud netted his 52^nd  international goal to move past Thierry Henry and become France’s all-time top scorer, Mbappe was once again France’s outstanding player.

He had been named man of the match in France’s opening two wins over Australia and Denmark only to shun his post-match media duties, exposing the French Football Federation to a fine from FIFA as a result.

However, this time he showed up to speak to reporters.

 “There were lots of people wondering why I was not speaking but it was nothing personal against the journalists,” he said. “I just needed to concentrate on my competition and when I need to focus it needs to be at 100 percent. I can’t lose energy on other things.

 “That is why I didn’t speak before. I have learnt that the federation is going to get a fine but I have promised personally to pay it,” he added.

Brazil star Neymar has celebrated his return to training as he steps up his recovery from injury – with the forward in line to make his comeback on Monday night against South Korea in their last-16 World Cup tie.

Neymar missed Brazil’s games against Switzerland and Cameroon after suffering an ankle problem in their opening fixture against Serbia.

There were fears that the 30-year-old could be sidelined for the remainder of the tournament but Brazil boss Tite has confirmed the good news for his side.

Read Also: Neymar could return against South Korea, says doctor

Asked yesterday  if the 30-year-old would feature against South Korea, the Brazil boss said ‘Yes’.

Earlier that day, Neymar posted two pictures of himself in training on Twitter, accompanied by the caption: “I feel good, I knew that I would now,” in reference to James Brown’s song ‘I Got You’.

The Paris Saint-Germain attacker was back working with the ball in training and scored a brilliant goal past Weverton. 

Cristiano Ronaldo may be 37 and without a club but Switzerland’s Xherdan Shaqiri, whose team face Portugal in the World Cup last 16 tomorrow, said it would be a mistake to consider him a fading force.

 “You cannot write off Cristiano, he is one of the best players in the world together with (Lionel) Messi,” Shaqiri told reporters yesterday.

 “This guy can score any second, any minute, he has experience and everyone knows how important he is for Portugal and for his team,” added the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich attacker, who scored in Switzerland’s 3-2 win over Serbia on Friday which secured them a place in the knockout stage.

Ronaldo, who has been released by Manchester United after his controversial television interview, has scored once so far in this tournament, with a penalty in the opening group stage 3-2 win over Ghana.

But Shaqiri, who now plays in Major League Soccer with Chicago Fire, knows that regardless of Ronaldo’s threat there are also plenty of other sources of danger from Portugal.

 “We have to know also the other players because it is not only Ronaldo, they have very good players, young players who can make a big difference and we need to give really a very good performance because its knockout and anything can happen in the 95-100 minutes and we are looking forward to it,” he said.

Read Also: Wenger decries Germany’s lack of focus

While Shaqiri is established as the main creative force in the Swiss side, he says the key to their chances of success is found in their ability as a collective.

 “The key is to have a special performance from the whole team. There are no Cristianos in our team, we need to have the whole team to be successful. If everyone sticks together, everyone goes to their highest level of performance, I am sure we have a chance to go through,” he said.

The two teams faced each other twice in the Nations League in June with Portugal enjoying a 4-0 win in Lisbon with Ronaldo scoring twice but then a week later, the Swiss gained revenge with a 1-0 win in Geneva.

But Shaqiri  admitted  that  the increased pressure of a World Cup knockout game makes past performances irrelevant.

 “We know Portugal, we have played them many times in friendlies, in the Nations League, we lost some, we won some, for me everything is open, it is a knockout game but we know they are going to be a good team.

 “We need a big, big performance, a special performance if we are going to go through,” he said.

 Spain’s Rodri said  his country have been warned about suffering another “collapse” when they face Morocco in the World Cup last 16 tomorrow .

La Roja fell to a shock 2-1 defeat by Japan on Thursday and finished second in Group E as a result, with the Samurai Blue netting two goals in a dramatic period at the start of the second half.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri, playing at centre-back for Spain, said his team would not renounce their style of football but had to avoid unnecessary risks.

 “There were 10 minutes of collapse, and we’ve been warned now that a goal can put you out,” Rodri told a press conference yesterday. “We know it, the coach was clear, and now we’re training with happiness and determination.”

For a short period during their last group game Spain face elimination, when Costa Rica were ahead against Germany, but Hansi Flick’s side recovered to win to save La Roja.

Spain trained yesterday  with defender Cesar Azpilicueta working on an exercise bike apart from the main group, after suffering a knock against Japan, but he should be fit to face Morocco.

Rodri believed Spain have recovered from their Japan defeat after reflecting on the game and are now ready to move on.

Read Also: Qatar 2022: Ruthless Spain thrash Costa Rica 7-0

 “We have totally recovered, it’s true that it was an intense moment in all senses,” he added. “The team went out to win, with ambition. We had a good first half, it’s a game which got away from us in 10 minutes.

 “We had a day of reflection, which suited us well, now the team is recovered and training with maximum joy and maximum hope.”

Spain, in search of a second World Cup trophy after their triumph in 2010, have a clearly defined way of playing.

It is marked by a high press, a thirst for possession and a near-refusal to clear their lines in desperation, preferring to seek out a pass.

 “We have a philosophy which never changes, whatever team we are playing against,” said Rodri. “We analysed and corrected our errors, but changing our way of playing does not suit Spain.

 “Details will make the difference. Playing without taking risks, but keeping a cool head, that’s always been our game.”

Japan will “fight like samurai” in Monday’s World Cup last-16 clash with Croatia as they battle to reach the quarter-finals for the first time, defender Yuto Nagatomo said.

Japan reached the knockout round after stunning Germany and Spain to top Group E but they are not satisfied with what they have achieved so far in Qatar.

Veteran Nagatomo is appearing at his fourth World Cup and he urged his team-mates to “show the samurai spirit to the world” against Croatia.

 “Before battle, the samurai would polish their weapons and refine their technique, but if they were scared in battle, all that would count for nothing,” the former Inter Milan left-back said Sunday.

 “It’s the same as football. Of course tactics and technique are important, but if we’re scared, it doesn’t matter how much we’ve trained over the past four years because our technique will be no use.

 “The most important thing is to have courage,” the 36-year-old added.

Japan have reached the last 16 at three previous World Cups but they have yet to make it as far as the quarter-finals.

They were eliminated at the first knock-out round four years ago in Russia when they threw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Belgium with the last kick of the game.

Read Also: Japan agency earmarks $7m for Northeast reconstruction

Nagatomo said the defeat had been on his mind for the past four years and he is ready to wipe away the memory against Croatia.

 “The past four years have been tough for me but I think we have all overcome that and improved as players,” he said.

 “I have been playing for Japan for almost 15 years and as far as I can see, this is the strongest team we’ve ever had at the World Cup.”

Japan had to come from behind to beat both Germany and Spain, and were forced to defend for long periods against opponents who dominated possession.

Coach Hajime Moriyasu wants his players to have more of the ball against Croatia but urged them to show “resilience” whatever the situation.

 “The players showed their ability against Germany and Spain, they were united as a team and dug in and fought until the end,” he said.

 “They have proved that when they play like that, it brings results.

 “Of course it’s important to think about our opponents but first of all I want our players to show what they can do.”

England overcame a sticky start to record an impressive 3-0 win over Senegal and advance to the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup at the Al Bayt Stadium.

Gareth Southgate’s error-ridden side were handed a couple of early scares by the Lions of Teranga, but two quick-fire strikes from Jordan Henderson and Harry Kane against the run of play put them two goals to the good before the break.

Bukayo Saka, who was the only change from the win over Wales, made it three for the Three Lions early in the second half to put the result beyond any doubt, but it was far from a cakewalk for the 2018 semi-finalists, who have been rewarded with a last-eight clash against reigning champions France.

While Senegal caused England plenty of issues with their aggressive pressing from the off, the Three Lions did not make life easy for themselves with a myriad of misplaced passes.

Harry Maguire and John Stones were the main culprits, and the former’s 23rd-minute pass was intercepted by Krepin Diatta, whose cross found Boulaye Dia after the Salernitana striker got across Stones.

The Manchester City centre-back did enough to put Dia off, but the ball then fell kindly for Watford’s Ismaila Sarr, who could only blaze an effort over the bar from a couple of yards out.

Fruitless calls for a penalty on Stones’s handball did not bear fruit, and England were handed another massive let off in the 32^nd  minute, as Jordan Pickford stuck out a strong right hand to keep out Dia after Bukayo Saka gave the ball away.

The Three Lions’ build-up play was slow for the most part, but a quick surge up the field paid dividends in the 38^th minute, as Kane found the run of Bellingham, who cut back for Henderson to slot home.

Read Also: Qatar 2022: England ready for shoot-out against Senegal

Kane was presented with a chance to double England’s tally just three minutes later but fired over from Saka’s cutback, although he would finally score his first goal of the 2022 World Cup just before the half-time whistle blew.

Once again, the effervescent Bellingham was central to England’s build-up, driving forward and finding the run of Foden, who laid off Kane to take a touch and fire home past Edouard Mendy for his 52nd Three Lions goal – taking him to within one of equalling Wayne Rooney’s all-time record of 53.

Within just 12 minutes of the second half, England had the ball in the back of the net for a third time, as Foden skipped past a challenge on the left before picking out Saka in the centre, and the Arsenal man lifted the ball over Mendy for his third World Cup goal.

While the rapturous Senegal fans were still in full voice, Aliou Cisse’s players were comfortably second best in the second half and seemed devoid of belief as England knocked the ball around with ease.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Pape Sarr had a brief sight of goal from a free kick in the 74th minute, but his strike only found the side netting, and England were untroubled in the dying embers en route to the next round.

Olivier Giroud became France’s all-time leading goalscorer as the World Cup holders coasted past Poland to reach the quarter-finals.

The AC Milan striker scored his 52nd goal for France to claim the country’s outright record, surpassing the great Thierry Henry.

The historic goal came on the stroke of half-time after Giroud controlled Kylian Mbappe’s pass before converting low into the net beyond the reach of Wojciech Szczesny.

Read Also: Qatar 2022: Tunisia upset France but exit World Cup

But having provided the assist for the first goal, the brilliant Mbappe turned on the style by scoring two fabulous strikes in the second half.

He hit a powerful drive into the roof of the net from 16 yards for his first and curled home a wonderful second in injury time to take the lead in the Golden Boot race with five goals.

Didier Deschamps’ side had been left frustrated up until the opener and could well have fallen behind.

Poland’s best opening in the first half came when the ball dropped for Piotr Zielinski in the centre of the penalty area, but his strike was straight at Hugo Lloris.

Robert Lewandowski did manage a consolation for the Poles, rolling in a penalty with the last kick of the game.

England and Senegal meet on Sunday (19:00 GMT) for the right to play France in next Saturday’s quarter-final.

BBCSports

Neymar is available for Brazil’s World Cup last-16 match against South Korea on Monday, coach Tite has confirmed.

The forward, 30, missed Brazil’s last two group games after sustaining ligament damage in his right ankle in the opening match against Serbia.

Brazil, one of the pre-tournament favourites, qualified for the knockout stage with a game to spare and topped Group G despite defeat by Cameroon.

Asked on Sunday whether Neymar would be fit to return, Tite replied “yes”.

He added: “Neymar will train today in the afternoon and if he trains well he will play.”

The Paris St-Germain star was replaced in 80th minute of his nation’s 2-0 win over Serbia after a heavy tackle by Nikola Milenkovic and later described the injury as “one of the hardest moments of my career”.

Read Also: Injured Neymar confident of comeback

Neymar wrote on Instagram: “Nothing in my life came easy and I’ve always had to work for my dreams and goals. I have never wished anyone anything bad and always helped who needed.

“I’m injured, yes it’s not nice, it will hurt but I’m sure I will have the chance to come back because I’ll do everything possible to help my country, my team-mates and myself.”

Neymar has suffered a number of injury problems with his right foot over the past few years, missing the 2019 Copa America after suffering torn ligaments in his ankle and then spending several weeks recovering from a similar injury in 2021.

Defender Danilo is also fit to return for Brazil, but Alex Telles and forward Gabriel Jesus have been ruled out for the rest of the tournament.

BBCSPORTS