Kylian Mbappe’s France will take on England in the third-place playoffs match of FIFA World Cup 2026 in Miami on Saturday.
Published: July 17, 2026, 2:35 PM IST
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Harry Kane’s England will take on France in FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoffs in Miami. (Image: AI)
England vs France FIFA World Cup 2026 Third Place Playoff: The 2018 World Cup winners France will be hoping to claim at least a bronze medal when they face off against England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Third Place Playoffs match at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Saturday. Over the years, England have featured in two FIFA World Cup third-place games and lost both of them – 2-1 to Italy in 1990 and 2-0 to Belgium in 2018 edition in Russia.
Head coach Didier Deschamps will be taking charge in his 187th and final match for France, having led the Les Bleus to 121 wins, 35 draws and 30 losses. But the biggest threat for Kylian Mbappe’s France will be England captain Harry Kane, according Indian national team goalkeeper and Zee 5 expert Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
The Indian football international believes Kane could once again be the decisive figure, with France facing a difficult tactical puzzle if they are to finish their campaign on a high. “If Harry Kane starts, he’ll be England’s biggest threat. His ability to drop into midfield, link play and create space for runners makes him extremely difficult to defend against. That’s exactly how England created problems in the semi-final, and France’s centre-backs will have to decide whether to follow him or hold their shape. Getting that balance right will be one of the biggest tactical battles of the match,” Sandhu said ahead of the third-place playoff match.
Sandhu also expects both coaches – Thomas Tuchel and Deschamps – to carefully manage the emotional aftermath of their semi-final defeats, while hinting that individual milestones could still shape team selection.
“After missing out on the final, motivation is naturally a challenge, but representing your country at a FIFA World Cup should always be enough incentive. We could see a few changes to the starting XIs, but I still expect someone like Kylian Mbappe to play. The Golden Boot is still within reach, and he’s the kind of player who always wants to be on the pitch,” Sandhu said.
Kane is also in the race to win the Golden Boot in FIFA World Cup 2026 along with Mbappe. While Kane has 6 goals and 1 assist, Mbappe has 8 goals and 3 assists to his name. The England captain had won the Golden Boot in 2018 edition while Mbappe had won it in 2022.
Having studied both semi-final defeats, Sandhu believes each side has clear defensive lessons to learn. “France’s problems weren’t just individual mistakes. Their second goal conceded came because two defenders were attracted to the same player, while midfield runners weren’t tracked. England’s issue was different—they became too passive after taking the lead. Against elite opposition, if you spend too long defending deep, fatigue sets in and eventually mistakes happen,” the Indian goalkeeper said.
Looking forward to Saturday’s contest, Sandhu believes both teams remain among the strongest international sides despite falling short of the final. “Both France and England have built squads with a strong mix of experienced players and young talent. Reaching the latter stages of major tournaments consistently isn’t a coincidence. This World Cup will only add to that experience, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see both nations challenging for another World Cup final in the future,” he said.
This is the fourth World Cup meeting between France and England, with the Three Lions winning the first two (2-0 in 1966, 3-1 in 1982) but the French won 2-1 in the 2022 quarter-final game.
