Match details
France
World CupWhy this tip?
The bronze medal playoff match is known for its open-ended nature in which both managers rotate their sides and adopt an extremely attacking style. With Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, and Jude Bellingham hungry for the golden boot, nobody will hold back on defense. Look forward to defensive mistakes resulting in clear goal-scoring opportunities for both sides.
Of all the world cup fixtures they’ve been part of, I’d imagine this is the one players would be least looking towards. Fighting for third place after missing a shot for first place is always a bittersweet pill to swallow.
Even though France entered the tournament among the top candidates to lift the trophy, they proved to be no match for Spain and put up a rather weak attacking display in the semi-finals. England will be trying to not repeat the poor showings in bronze medal matches in 1990 and 2018, failing to win any medal on those occasions.
- Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026™
- Matchday: Third-place play-off
- Date: July 18, 2026
- Kick-off time in EAT: July 19, 2026, 00:00 AM
- Venue: Miami Stadium, Florida
Why this match matters
The fixture has always resulted in entertaining, wide-open matches, mainly due to the fact that the pressure associated with fighting for the championship disappears here. Furthermore, there is an individual interest involved since Kylian Mbappe has eight goals in the competition, which is a tie with Lionel Messi to win the Golden Boot.
France vs England head-to-head stats
Previous meetings
- France vs France 1:2
- France vs France 3:2
- France vs France 2:0
- France vs France 1:1
- France vs France 0:0
Head-to-head record
The encounters between France and England have traditionally been very tight matches, however, France has had the upper hand when the stakes are high on the international scene.
The recent meeting between these teams happened during the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar, where France edged to victory by 2-1 in extra-time with Harry Kane missing a penalty. In general, France has always felt more comfortable in these knockout matches compared to England.
France recent form
France’s last five matches
- France vs Spain 0:2
- France vs Morocco 2:0
- Paraguay vs France 0:1
- France vs Sweden 3:0
- Norway vs France 1:4
Goals scored and conceded
France has had a deadly attack in this tournament, managing to score sixteen goals in their journey to the semi-finals but being unable to find the net against Spain.
Defensively, France has been decent, however, now they have started to expose themselves to danger in case of fast counter-attacks.
Key trends from recent matches
In their six matches of the World Cup, France have scored the opening goal four times. On the other hand, in three of their last five matches, neither France nor their opponent could keep a clean sheet, and France matches also have a tendency to feature many corners with the average number exceeding six per game thanks to Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola wing-play.
England recent form
England’s last five matches
- England vs Argentina 1:2
- Norway vs England 1:2
- Mexico vs England 2:3
- England vs DR Congo 2:1
- Panama vs England 0:2
Goals scored and conceded
England’s attack has been built around two players in the current tournament – Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, each of them has already managed to find the net six times in the competition. Overall, the Three Lions have scored twelve goals so far, however, their defence has become quite vulnerable lately, as England haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last four matches.
Key trends from recent matches
Tournament so far, Thomas Tuchel’s team has been showing a worrying tendency of conceding late goals, like they did against Argentina in their semi-final. Also, some matches have even been forced into extra time, showing their inability to go through the full ninety minutes. Four of six English matches have ended in “both teams scored” results recently.
Team news
France team news
Saliba is almost certainly unavailable for selection following his exit in tears during the first half of the semi-final defeat to Spain. Dayot Upamecano is likely to take the place of the injured player in the starting lineup, while Kylian Mbappe is expected to play despite a slight ankle injury. Didier Deschamps could hand minutes to some of his fringe players as the coach prepares to bid adieu to his tenure in French football.
England team news
Djed Spence has worn a carbon fiber face mask throughout the tournament following the break to his jaw. Thomas Tuchel will have to do without Tino Livramento, who has missed the whole tournament due to a calf injury. In light of the physical toll being taken on his players, Tuchel will definitely need to rotate his starting eleven, giving starters such as Anthony Gordon and Elliot Anderson a run in the midfield and on the wings.
Predicted lineups
France predicted XI
- France probable XI: Maignan, Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne, Tchouaméni, Rabiot, Dembélé, Olise, Barcola, Mbappe
England predicted XI
- England probable XI: Pickford, James, Stones, Guéhi, Spence, Rice, Anderson, Rogers, Bellingham, Gordon, Kane
Best betting markets for France vs England
Tip 1: Both Teams to Score (GG)
The bronze medal playoff match is known for its open-ended nature in which both managers rotate their sides and adopt an extremely attacking style. With Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, and Jude Bellingham hungry for the golden boot, nobody will hold back on defense. Look forward to defensive mistakes resulting in clear goal-scoring opportunities for both sides.
Tip 2: Over 2.5 Goals
Both sides have a wealth of attacking talent on their bench eager to make an impression on the worldwide audience. This match has all the makings of a good old fashioned shoot-out producing goals galore, exceeding the three-goal mark with ease.
Tip 3: Kylian Mbappe to Score Anytime
Mbappe goes into this match tied at the top of the Golden Boot standings and looking to seize the moment to cement the award for himself. Mbappe is the first choice penalty taker and main focal point of the French attack. It stands to reason that he will get plenty of opportunities to get on the scoresheet from his team-mates.
Tip 4: France to Win Either Half
Despite rotating his squad, the French team still has a very deep squad among international football. The French bench boasts some game changers who can rip apart an England side that looks thoroughly exhausted after their semi-final. This particular market gives the home team a little safety cushion compared to simply backing them for the win.
Where to bet on France vs England
France vs England prediction
Best bet
The best bet on this Miami encounter is to go with France winning the game in normal time. Although both sides are coming off a disappointing semi-final defeat, France has a much more powerful squad and has had another day of rest compared to their opponents.
Correct score prediction
Our predicted scoreline for this match is France 2 – 1 England. While England will likely score via their dangerous set-pieces or individual brilliance of Jude Bellingham, their defense is not strong enough to prevent France from scoring. France will probably dominate the transition moments and make the most of England’s weak defense via their quick transitions.
Match analysis and verdict
France has a physical advantage as they will have played their semi-final match earlier and will not have gone through those intense exchanges that England did against Argentina. The biggest challenge for England will be dealing with transition speed of Mbappe and Barcola. Saliba being out will probably make France slightly weaker defensively but their attacking prowess will make up for it.
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