England and France Clash for World Cup Third Place

England and France will play in the FIFA World Cup third-place match on Saturday. This game matters for pride, the Golden Boot race, and the end of Didier Deschamps’ 14-year run as France coach. Neither team expected to be in this position.

The match will take place at the Miami Stadium. This will be the first time the two countries meet since France won 2-1 against England in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar.

Both teams faced tough losses in the semi-finals. France lost 2-0 to Spain, even though they were one of the favorites to win. England had a second-half lead but lost 2-1 to Argentina after Lionel Messi assisted goals for Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez.

The Golden Boot race is also a big deal for France captain Kylian Mbappé. He and Messi have scored eight goals each, but Messi has more assists. England's Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham each have six goals and could still compete for the award.

Team News

According to Yahoo Sport, France will miss defender William Saliba. He left the semi-final against Spain due to a recurring back issue. Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix is expected to play alongside Ibrahima Konaté in central defense.

Theo Hernández will step in for Lucas Digne at left-back. Warren Zaïre-Emery and Rayan Cherki are likely to join the starting lineup. Mbappé will lead the attack as he aims for the Golden Boot.

England has injury worries about Reece James. He is likely out with a muscle problem, and Djed Spence may take over at right-back. Jordan Henderson is also unavailable due to a broken wrist.

Jude Bellingham's status is uncertain. He is waiting for a decision from FIFA after an incident following England’s semi-final loss. Morgan Rogers is set to make his first start in the tournament, and Kobbie Mainoo might also play.

Form Guide

France won their first six matches before losing to Spain in the semi-final. Mbappé scored eight goals during those games. Saturday’s match will be Deschamps’ last in charge after 14 years. He led France to the 2018 World Cup title and the final in 2022.

England has depended on standout plays during the tournament. Kane and Bellingham scored crucial goals against DR Congo and Mexico. However, their late collapse against Argentina ended their hopes of reaching the final.

The Three Lions have also lost their last two third-place play-offs. They fell 2-1 to Italy in 1990 and lost 2-0 to Belgium in 2018.

A win would give England their best-ever finish in a third-place match, while France hopes to keep their perfect record in past World Cup bronze-medal games.