France takes on England in World Cup third-place game with Mbappe chasing Golden Boot

For Americans, the World Cup has a batch of weird stuff. We aren’t utilized to games ending successful ties. We don’t truly admit the quality of teams passing the shot backmost and forth, trying to spot wherever it makes consciousness to onslaught the defense. Most of all, though, we are not utilized to large tournaments having a third-place game, but we get that present arsenic France takes connected England.

France disappointed maine for a assortment of reasons. Even if I didn’t person a summons connected them to triumph the World Cup, I would’ve astir apt been disappointed arsenic they played Spain. They looked similar they were small kids playing against adults retired there. The deficiency of urgency, the accomplishment disparity, and the wide show looked brutal successful examination to what we’ve seen from France successful each of the different games of the World Cup.

France's Kylian Mbappe scored the go-ahead and yet game-winning extremity against Paraguay connected a punishment kick. (James Lang-Imagn Images)

The lone happening that France truly has to play for present is pride. It was disappointing to spot them not fuss against Spain, but they person inactive been precise beardown against astir each different squad successful the league. Now, the different happening that they tin instrumentality a changeable astatine is getting Kylian Mbappe different goal. He has eight, which is tied with Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot, but helium has less assists, truthful if helium doesn’t score, helium volition lose.

HOW TO WATCH ENGLAND VS FRANCE: LIVE STREAM THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP THIRD-PLACE MATCH

England blew it. That’s truly the overwhelming thought from astir each expert and everyone else. England fans are furious astatine their manager for "parking the bus" successful the 2nd fractional of the game. I can’t accidental I blasted them. England looked similar they were conscionable trying to tally retired the timepiece alternatively of being aggressive. We cognize Argentina is simply a bully team, but England wasn’t truly playing support away; they seemed to conscionable beryllium loading the container and hoping that their hostile wouldn’t score.

England's Harry Kane celebrates aft scoring connected a punishment footwear during a World Cup circular of 16 shot lucifer against Mexico successful Mexico City connected Sunday, July 5, 2026. (Eduardo Verdugo/AP)

England tin inactive marque this a palmy World Cup with a win. Sure, it isn’t the aforesaid arsenic winning the tournament, but coming successful 3rd does look similar it would beryllium a amazingly palmy tally for them. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham person proved to beryllium 1 of the champion duos successful the full tournament. The occupation remains that it conscionable hasn’t been enough. I bash expect them to beryllium much assertive aft the catastrophe of the past game.

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Does that mean they volition find the backmost of the nett aggregate times? I benignant of uncertainty it, but I bash expect some teams to onslaught regularly. The opening enactment of this crippled was astatine 2.5 with foodstuff connected the over; it has present moved to 3.5, which gives a bully middling accidental if you stake the implicit originally.

(Left) England's Harry Kane leaves the transportation astatine the extremity of the archetypal fractional during the World Cup semifinal shot lucifer betwixt England and Argentina successful Atlanta, Georgia, connected Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (Right) France's Kylian Mbappe (10) celebrates scoring the opening extremity during the World Cup quarterfinal shot lucifer betwixt France and Morocco successful Foxborough, Massachusetts, adjacent Boston, connected Thursday, July 9, 2026. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP Newsroom; Steven Senne/AP Newsroom)

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France still, successful my eyes, remains the champion squad successful the tourney – speech from Spain, I guess. I deliberation they astir apt triumph this crippled successful 90 minutes astatine -110, but I truly don’t cognize however motivated either squad volition beryllium successful a third-place game. I deliberation Mbappe is going to effort to people arsenic galore goals arsenic imaginable for the Golden Boot. Him astatine +300 is worthy a flyer for 2 goals. I volition besides instrumentality nether 3.5 arsenic I conscionable don’t spot this crippled getting 4 goals.

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