England and France will meet in the 2026 World Cup third-place final at Miami Stadium on Saturday, with both European heavyweights looking to end their campaign on a positive note after painful semi-final exits. England lost to defending champion Argentina 1-2, and France lost to Spain 0-2. The two sides competed for the bronze medal.While a third-place finish may not be a goal for either team, it still provides an opportunity to finish on the podium, restore pride and potentially impact the race for the Golden Boot.
England lead in historic rivalry
History has been in favor of the Three Lions, who have won 17 of 32 meetings between the two countries. France has won 10 games, five of which ended in draws. In these encounters, England also defeated France by a score of 66-41.However, the overall record tells only part of the story. Much of England’s dominance came from the early decades of international football, with most of their victories occurring between 1923 and 1949. In the modern era, France have the upper hand and England have only managed one win in their past nine games, a 2-0 friendly win in November 2015. World Cup history favors England, but recent memory belongs to FranceThe two teams have met three times in the World Cup. England won their first two games, beating France 2-0 in the 1966 title-winning side, before winning 3-1 in the group stages of the 1982 World Cup.However, France defeated England 2-1 in the quarter-finals of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, ending the Three Lions’ hopes of winning the title. The result also extended England’s long wait for a thrilling victory over France. The Three Lions have not beaten France in a major tournament since the 1982 World Cup, a drought that has lasted 44 years.
