France–England: 10 reasons not to miss the third-place play-off

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·18 Juli 2026

France–England: 10 reasons not to miss the third-place play-off

With the semi-final disappointment barely behind them, France and England already have to step back into the ring. One last match to claim bronze, but also one last chance to shine, make history, or end the tournament on a high. Here are 10 reasons to watch this third-place play-off.

Michael Olise can make history. Already on five assists, the Frenchman is now just one more away from the single-World Cup record, set by Pelé in 1970.

Kylian Mbappé can become the top scorer in World Cup history. With 20 goals already, a brace would allow him to move provisionally past Lionel Messi (21 goals).

The Golden Boot is still up for grabs. With eight goals, Mbappé can take sole possession of first place in the scoring charts and put pressure on Messi, currently level with him ahead of the Argentina–Spain final.

This could be Mbappé’s last World Cup match in his prime. The France captain will be almost 31 by the next edition. One last dance at the top?

N'Golo Kanté will say goodbye to the World Cup. Unused since the start of the tournament, "NG" should get the chance to play his final minutes on the world stage.
Didier Deschamps can bring his tenure to a fitting end. In his final match in charge of Les Bleus, the France coach will no doubt be dreaming of a win over England to finish his journey on a positive note.

6 des 7 sélectionneurs précédents de la France ont perdu leur dernier match avec les Bleus (exception pour Aimé Jacquet contre le Brésil en 1998).
– Rabu, 15 Juli 2026

Harry Kane can climb the all-time scoring ranks. With 14 goals, the England captain can move past Ronaldo Nazário (15) and Miroslav Klose (16) to take his place on the podium.
The final curtain for the Three Lions’ all-time top scorer (85 goals). At 32, Harry Kane will probably be playing his last World Cup match.

Thomas Tuchel already needs to make people forget his latest tactical mistake. With part of the British press calling for his departure after his controversial choice against Argentina, the England manager needs to reassure people quickly. A win is all but essential to calm the media storm back home.
A bronze medal... and a nice cheque to go with it. The winner of the third-place match will pocket around €25 million.

290 - Didier Deschamps va disputer demain son 290e et dernier match avec l’équipe de France 🇫🇷, après 103 matches comme joueur et 187 comme sélectionneur. Sa toute dernière apparition dans les deux fonctions aura eu lieu face au même adversaire : l'Angleterre 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿. Monument.
– Jumat, 17 Juli 2026