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England and France meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place play-off at the Miami Stadium on Saturday, with both European heavyweights aiming to end their campaigns on a positive note after painful semi-final exits. England suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of defending champions Argentina, while France were outclassed 2-0 by Spain, leaving both sides in contention for the bronze medal.While the third-place match may not have been the goal for either team, it still offers a chance to finish the tournament on the podium, restore pride and potentially influence the race for the Golden Boot.
England has an eternal rivalry
History favors the Three Lions, who have won 17 of the 32 meetings between the two nations. France recorded 10 victories, while five games ended in a draw. England also outscored Les Bleus 66-41 in those meetings.However, the overall record tells only part of the story. England’s dominance mostly came in the early decades of international football, with most of their wins 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. World Cup history favors England, but recent memories belong to FranceThe two sides have met three times at the FIFA World Cup. England won the first two meetings, defeating France 2-0 during their triumphant 1966 campaign before recording a 3-1 victory in the 1982 World Cup group stage.However, France won the most significant recent encounter, 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. The result also extended England’s long wait for a competitive victory over France. The Three Lions have not beaten Les Bleus at a major tournament since the 1982 World Cup, a drought that now stretches back 44 years.
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