France have scored two or more goals in five of their seven World Cup matches
England have only kept two clean sheets at the World Cup this summer
Recommended bet: France to win @ 17/20 with LiveScore Bet
Score Prediction: France 2-0 England
France and England will barely have come to terms with their World Cup exits before they are set to contest the "Bronze Final" for the right to secure third spot at this summer's showpiece.
Didier Deschamps' reign as France boss is one game away from coming to a close and he will be looking to bow out on a high.
Thomas Tuchel's future is reportedly secure ahead of the 2028 European Championships, although the German coach has come under heavy scrutiny after England surrendered a one-nil lead to lose 2-1 to Argentina on Wednesday night.
France are still licking their wounds after their disappointing 2-0 defeat to Spain and it is a game that both sets of players would rather not play in.
Date, kick-off time, stadium, competition
Saturday July 18, 10pm BST, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, World Cup Bronze Final
Where to Watch
BBC1 & BBC iPlayer
Outright Odds
More market odds and predictions
Recommended bet | Stat |
|---|---|
Under 2.5 goals | With both coaches set to make changes, it is hard to see both teams hitting the ground running in a game with little riding on it |
Kylian Mbappe to score anytime | Real Madrid ace Mbappe is chasing the Golden Boot having scored eight goals so far |
Marcus Rashford over 1.5 shots | Rashford has registered nine shots in only 178 minutes |
Desire Doue over 1.5 shots on target | Desire Doue has seen eight of his 13 shots hit the target this summer |
Saturday's fixture between France and England is without doubt one of the most peculiar fixtures in world football.
The right to finish third at a World Cup is something very few nations are bothered about and after a long and gruelling summer, the players are now just desperate to have a break before returning to club duties.
England made wholesale changes the last time they reached the "Bronze Final" contest in 2018, before they lost 2-0 to Belgium.
France have previously got their hands on this trophy having finished third on two occasions, while England fell short in both 1990 and 2018.
Both teams had every confidence they would reach Sunday's final in New Jersey, but a trip to Miami beckons in a game that sadly will not be remembered for the right reasons.
On paper, it is France that look the stronger team and they have more to play for.
While Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham can technically still win the Golden Boot, they are two goals behind Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe and are not guaranteed to start.
Mbappe's personal target may tempt manager Didier Deschamps to play him from the off, but even if he does not feature, France have the better squad.
Deschamps' team were ruthless in front of goal during the group stages as they beat Senegal 3-1, Iraq 3-0 and Norway 4-1.
The fact that they only conceded two goals was pretty ominous and they continued their dominance in the Round of 32 as they hammered Sweden 3-0.
They squeezed past Paraguay 1-0 and showed heart to beat Morocco 2-0, but sadly for France, their worst performance of the tournament coincided with their fixture with Spain in the semi-finals.
Les Bleus were given very little breathing space by La Roja, but they should find life a lot easier against England.
Even if Deschamps decides to rest plenty of his starting XI, the likes of Manu Kone, Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, Theo Hernandez, Maxence Lacroix and Rayan Cherki are all waiting in the wings.
While England gave some of their fans a night to remember against Mexico, their performances have left a lot to be desired this summer.
They were impressive at times in their 4-2 success over Croatia, but that was the only game of the tournament where they looked on the same page in attack.
A dull 0-0 draw against Ghana was followed by a 2-0 win over Panama, which allowed them to top Group L.
Tuchel's team just scraped past D.R. Congo in the Round of 32, before that famous night in Mexico City saw them beat the co-hosts 3-2 with ten men.
They needed extra-time to beat Norway 2-1, before they failed to hold onto a 1-0 lead against Argentina.
England have struggled to gel as an attacking force and would arguably have crashed out earlier, but for a bit of good play from Kane or Bellingham.
The debrief of England's tournament cannot start until this game is over, but Tuchel's first XI may struggle to compete with France's energetic and elusive forwards.
England's inability to keep teams out is a real worry, with the Three Lions only recording shutouts against Ghana and Panama.
While in ordinary circumstances they could be forgiven and try to get the better of France in an end-to-end tussle, motivation has to be a factor.
Some of England's squad were competing in their last World Cup, and with the mood in their camp at a particular low, France's young stars can record a routine victory.
France vs England Team news
France centre-back William Saliba will play no part in the game after suffering another back injury, and he is expected to be replaced by Lacroix.
Ibrahim Konate could also come into the XI, but backup goalkeeper Brice Samba is set to miss out due to an injury.
England boss Tuchel will likely rest Reece James after yet another injury setback, but Jarell Quansah has served his two-game ban.
Midfielder Jordan Henderson remains sidelined with a wrist injury, while the likes of Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Marcus Rashford will all look to start.
Predicted Team Line-Ups
France (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Konate, Lacroix, T. Hernandez; Kone, Zaire-Emery; Cherki, Olise, Doue; Mbappe
England (4-2-3-1): Trafford; Spence, Konsa, Guehi, O'Reilly; Mainoo, Anderson; Rogers, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane
France vs England Stats
France have won eight of their last 10 matches in all competitions
Les Bleus have scored two or more goals in five of their seven World Cup games
England have only kept two clean sheets at this summer's World Cup
France have won the last two head-to-head encounters
Kylian Mbappe has registered 19 shots on target from 33 efforts, with eight of those strikes finding the back of the net
Jude Bellingham's six goals have come from only 17 shots
Score prediction: France 2-0 England
The latest France vs England odds are available on LiveScore Bet
