France v England: Bellingham & Bellamy’s Boys Chase Bronze in Miami

Nobody wants this one, and everybody knows it. Two proper heavyweights who fancied lifting the trophy itself are left scrapping over bronze, and after the way both semi-finals ended, there’s a point to prove on both sides. Thomas Tuchel’s men were seconds from a first World Cup final since 1966 before Argentina nicked it late; France were the tournament’s most complete side for six games running until Spain shut them out cold. Nobody wanted the third-place game — but somebody’s getting a medal out of it, and pride’s still pride.

How We Got Here

England had Argentina on the ropes in Atlanta. Anthony Gordon’s second-half goal had the Three Lions dreaming, right up until Tuchel dropped into a 5-4-1 to see it out and got punished with two late sucker-punches. It’s the same old story that’s followed this England side all tournament — entertaining, occasionally chaotic, eight goals conceded in six knockout games — and now there are whispers about Tuchel’s job (5/2 with bet365 to leave before England’s next fixture).

France, by contrast, had barely put a foot wrong. Sixteen goals scored, only two conceded, and a semi-final date with Spain that was meant to be the tricky bit before the final. Instead Luis de la Fuente’s side dismantled them 2-0, and Didier Deschamps’ men now have to pick themselves up for a game that means everything to nobody except the two dressing rooms in it.

The Mbappe-Bellingham Subplot

Real Madrid teammates on opposite sides, and Kylian Mbappe has extra motivation on top of the bragging rights. He sits on eight goals, level with Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot race — and with Messi safely tucked away in Sunday’s final, Saturday in Miami is Mbappe’s last shot to go clear. He’s 5/6 with bet365 to score at any time, and given England have shipped goals for fun in the knockouts, that price looks worth a punt.

Odds Board

History’s on France’s side too — the last time these two met at a World Cup, that Qatar quarter-final four years back, Les Bleus edged it 2-1. That exact scoreline is out at 17/2 with bet365 for a repeat.