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Cape Town - John Stones is looking forward to facing Manchester City team-mate Vincent Kompany when England clash with Belgium but insists he won't talk football with him.
Stones and Kompany helped City clinch the Premier League title under manager Pep Guardiola in 2017/18 but will potentially come up against each other in their final group game of the World Cup in Russia.
Both England and Belgium have already qualified for the round of 16, but they will be motivated to get one over their club rivals and team-mates on Thursday.
"I love Vinny, he's a top guy as well as a top player, and it will be great to see him and hopefully he's fit and ready," Stones told FIFA TV.
"It will be nice to have a chat, but probably (about) non-football-related things. It will be a strange rivalry I suppose, because we are used to playing on the same team, as with Kevin (De Bruyne), but when we cross the line it's that healthy respect.
"We all want to win the game, and afterwards we'll shake hands and it'll be how it always is."
The match against Belgium will determine who gets top spot.
Kick-off is at 20:00 (SA time).
