England: Kieran Trippier warns Three Lions must ‘be aware of’ France’s Antoine Griezmann | Football | Sport

England’s Kieran Trippier and France’s Antoine Griezmann used to enjoy regular barbecues together as Atletico Madrid team-mates. But the stakes have never been higher than they are this week.

The no-nonsense Lancastrian and France’s stylish playmaker, plucked from the heart of the country’s wine-growing region, seem unlikely best mates. But their friendship has endured long after the sixth months they spent together in the Spanish capital.

“In Madrid, we all lived in an area called La Finka – it’s like St George’s Park but bigger,” Trippier recalled. “It was brilliant to be fair as we would finish training at 11.30am, the sun is shining and you are having barbecues.

“What more can you ask for? Know what I mean. The good thing is that every player would host and we would go round each other’s houses as it was literally ten seconds away. It was brilliant. And Antoine is a great guy.

“He’s the joker of the dressing room. He’s one of those bubbly guys, from morning until evening he’s always playing jokes, he’s always doing pranks. We got on really well. His English is good and he really helped me when I was there, even though he arrived after me.

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“As a player abroad you find it hard at times and Griezy certainly helped me. So I have huge respect for him. You speak on Instagram and wish each other well but I hope Saturday is a good day for us.”

Certainly the only thing Trippier is planning to help cook up this week is a plan to stop Griezmann from giving England a thorough roasting. Curiously, the 32-year-old’s debut in France’s 3-2 win in June 2017 was the last game Griezmann did not play for Les Bleues – a 72-game sequence that has given ample demonstration of the havoc he can wreak.

“You see his talent throughout his career and when you play with him you see his individual talent,” Trippier said. “He picks up spaces. He scores goals as well and I was lucky enough to play with him. He is one of those when, even in training, he is clever about where he picks up space.

“He just drifts and is certainly a player to keep an eye on. He has the individual quality to find a pass, score a goal and arrive in the box. Griezy is a fantastic player, you know, and one we have to be aware of.

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“But you look all over the France team and they have quality everywhere. We just need to focus on them as a team. They have individuals. It’s a one off game, though, and we are ready and fully focused and have worked hard on the training field. We will give everything as always.”

For all that effort that is being put in at Al Wakrah, Trippier is amazed at how relaxed players have been from the moment they enter the match-day dressing room. “Gareth takes his meeting and then we get in the dressing room and listen to some horrific songs from some of the lads!” Trippier revealed.

“Everyone’s relaxed, everyone’s having banter as they always are, doing their rehab, their stretching before games, every one prepares differently. Some play two touch, some do stretching, some just chill and get a massage.

“Especially this tournament, everyone’s been brilliant. We are all relaxed as a team. We are all just looking forward to Saturday. We know it is going to be an entertaining game for everyone. Hopefully we will do everybody proud.”