Mbappe and Lewandowski train as France and Poland prepare for World Cup showdown


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France manager Didier Deschamps insists there is more to Poland than Robert Lewandowski as both teams prepare to face each other in the 2022 World Cup last 16 on Sunday.

Barcelona striker Lewandowski is undoubtedly Poland's star man and chief threat, but in Wojciech Szczesny - who has already saved two penalties in Qatar - they have an elite-level goalkeeper, while the team's compact style can make them difficult to break down.

"They've had to defend a lot in the group stage and they defended very well. Actually they love it, but they're not just a defensive team - just look at who they have up front," Deschamps said

"But there's more. They have a backbone of players with great international experience, with Kamil Glik, Piotr Zieliński, Grzegorz Krychowiak and some youngsters who have shown they were up to the task. They deserve to be here."

France, led by the seemingly unstoppable Kylian Mbappe, will be strong favourites to progress to the quarter-finals but Poland manager Czeslaw Michniewicz has said his team fears no one - even suggesting that if Poland can shock World Cup holders France, they could go all the way.

"We were not ready to go home," said Michniewicz, who only took over the Poland job in January after the departure of Paulo Sousa. "If we win against France we could become the next world champions.

"We're very happy to play the world champions. France are not already guaranteed to advance. Everything's to play for, you win or go home and the stakes are high."

Ahead of the all-or-nothing encounter at Al Thumama Stadium, France and Poland players took to the pitches at Al Sadd SC Stadium and Al Kharaitiyat SC respectively for one final training session.

Check out the photos from those training sessions in the photo gallery above. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or swipe if using a mobile device.

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Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding

Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.

Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.

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Updated: December 04, 2022, 7:20 AM