England and France meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place play-off at the Miami Stadium on Saturday, with the two European heavyweights aiming to end their campaigns on a positive note after painful semi-final exits. England suffered a 2-1 defeat to defending champions Argentina, while France were beaten 2-0 by Spain, leaving both sides in contention for the bronze medal.Although the third-place match was not the goal of either team, it still offers the chance to finish the tournament with a podium, restore pride and potentially influence the Golden Boot race.
England lead the rivalry all-time
History favors the Three Lions, who have won 17 of the 32 meetings between the two nations. France recorded 10 wins, while five matches ended in a draw. England also beat Les Bleus 66-41 in those meetings.However, the overall record only tells part of the story. England’s dominance came largely in the early decades of international football, with most of their victories coming between 1923 and 1949. In the modern era, France have enjoyed the upper hand, with England managing just one win in their last nine meetings, a 2-0 friendly triumph in November 2015.The two sides have met three times at the FIFA World Cup. England won their first two matches, defeating France 2-0 during their triumphant 1966 campaign before recording a 3-1 victory in the group stage of the 1982 World Cup.France, however, claimed the most significant recent meeting, beating England 2-1 in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar to end the Three Lions’ hopes of lifting the trophy. This result also extended England’s long wait for a competitive win over France. The Three Lions have not beaten Les Bleus in a major tournament since the 1982 World Cup, a drought that now stretches 44 years.