World Cup 2022: Two players miss England training ahead of quarter-final meeting with France as Yorkshire star could be handed opportunity

The Three Lions are down to a squad of 25 players in Qatar, after ex-Leeds United defender Ben White left the camp for personal reasons and is not expected to return. Raheem Sterling’s availability for the last-eight tie is also uncertain after the Chelsea winger returned to England last weekend following a break-in at his family home.

West Ham midfielder Rice missed training on Wednesday with illness. He has started in all four of England’s games in the Gulf State but was absent from the latest session at Al Wakrah Sports Complex.

Concern over Rice’s availability could pave the way for Leeds-born midfielder Kalvin Phillips to make his first start in Qatar. The ex-Leeds United player faced a fitness battle to be involved in Qatar and the Manchester City man came off the bench to assist a goal in the group-stage win over Wales.

He played all seven games as England reached the final of the delayed Euro 2020 tournament last summer, as he developed a strong relationship with Rice in the centre of midfield. Jordan Henderson and Jude Bellingham have partnered Rice in the Three Lions’ midfield in the last two fixtures in Qatar.

Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson sat out Monday’s training session before England players were given a day off on Tuesday. Wilson’s absence continued on Wednesday due to a minor muscle strain.

On Tuesday, France star Kylian Mbappe was absent from training with the reigning champions. Mbappe is currently the top scorer in Qatar with five goals in four appearances while he also has two assists to his name.

Instead of training with the reminder of the French squad, the PSG striker was instead working in the recovery room in preparation for this weekend’s showdown.

England assistant manager Steve Holland says Mbappe is among a handful of players on the planet who need “special attention”. The 23-year-old provides a major headache for England, whose assistant helped devise plans to keep Lionel Messi quiet as Chelsea shocked Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals in 2012.

Holland said: “I think there are a handful of players on the planet that you need to consider special attention to. Messi has been one and probably still is.

“You’d have to put Mbappe in that kind of category I would suggest. We do need to look at trying to avoid leaving ourselves in situations where he is as devastating as we’ve all seen. We have to try to find a way of avoiding that.”