France v England betting tips and prediction
France and England will attempt to finish their FIFA World Cup campaigns on a high when they meet in the third-place playoff at Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens on Saturday.
Didier Deschamps’ side had been one of the standout teams of the tournament, winning their opening six matches and scoring 16 goals before their hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final were ended by Spain.
France struggled to break down the European champions in their semi-final and were beaten 2-0 following goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro. William Saliba was also forced off with a back injury during a disappointing night for Les Bleus.
England suffered an even more painful exit after surrendering a late lead against defending champions Argentina. Anthony Gordon put the Three Lions ahead early in the second half, but Enzo Fernandez equalised before Lautaro Martinez struck in injury time to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory.
France are priced at 1.83 to defeat England (3.75), while the draw is paying 3.75 with betting sites. Les Bleus are also paying around 1.44 to finish third, with England available at 2.63.
The bronze-medal match will provide one final opportunity for some of the tournament’s leading goalscorers to chase the adidas Golden Boot. Kylian Mbappe enters the contest with eight goals, while England pair Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have scored six each.
France and England have met three times previously at the World Cup. England won their group-stage encounters in 1966 and 1982, while France recorded a memorable 2-1 quarter-final victory in Qatar in 2022.
Both managers are expected to make changes following demanding semi-finals. However, France appear to have the greater squad depth, particularly in attack, with Rayan Cherki, Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, Marcus Thuram and Michael Olise all competing for minutes.
Third-place playoffs are often more open than traditional knockout matches and there should be opportunities at both ends as two disappointed teams attempt to leave the tournament with a victory.
Below we run through the latest France and England team news, present our free France vs England betting tips and give our match prediction.
France team news
William Saliba is a major doubt after being forced off with a back injury during the first half of France’s 2-0 semi-final defeat to Spain. Maxence Lacroix replaced the Arsenal defender and is expected to come into the starting side alongside Ibrahima Konate.
Back-up goalkeeper Brice Samba was also injured before the semi-final, although Mike Maignan remains firmly established as France’s first-choice goalkeeper.
Deschamps is expected to rotate after a demanding tournament, with Warren Zaire-Emery, Cherki and Doue among those pushing to start. Mbappe should retain his place as he attempts to move clear in the Golden Boot race after scoring eight goals in his opening seven appearances.
France will also be motivated to send Deschamps out with a victory in his final match as national team manager. He won the World Cup as a player in 1998 before leading Les Bleus to the title as a coach in 2018.
France’s expected lineup: Maignan; Kounde, Konate, Lacroix, Hernandez; Kante, Zaire-Emery; Cherki, Olise, Doue; Mbappe.
England team news
Thomas Tuchel must assess Reece James and John Stones after both defenders required treatment before being substituted during the semi-final defeat to Argentina.
Jarell Quansah is available again after completing a two-match suspension and could replace James in the starting side. Jordan Henderson is injured, while it remains to be seen whether Jude Bellingham will face any disciplinary action following his confrontation with Valentin Barco after the semi-final.
England are also expected to rotate after their gruelling knockout campaign. The Three Lions had to come from behind against Congo DR and Norway, while their victory over Mexico and dramatic defeat to Argentina required significant physical and emotional effort.
Harry Kane should continue to lead the attack as he chases the Golden Boot, although Marcus Rashford, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney are all pushing for opportunities.
England’s expected lineup: Pickford; Quansah, Konsa, Guehi, O’Reilly; Mainoo, Anderson; Rogers, Eze, Rashford; Kane.
France vs England odds
Match Result
- France1.83
- Draw3.75
- England3.75
To Finish Third
- France1.44
- England2.63
France vs England betting tips
WGL’s football betting expert has analysed the third-place playoff and found two betting angles worth considering.
Both teams to score
There should be opportunities at both ends in a match carrying less pressure than a World Cup final. France scored 16 goals across their opening six matches before being shut out by Spain, while England have scored in each of their four knockout fixtures. Both teams possess enough attacking quality to take advantage of any defensive changes or tired legs. This option is short at 1.50, but looms as the most likely option given the lower stakes of this clash.
Kylian Mbappe anytime goalscorer
Mbappe has scored eight goals in seven appearances at this World Cup and has one final opportunity to strengthen his claim for the Golden Boot. France’s captain remains their primary attacking outlet, takes penalties and has scored 20 times across 21 career World Cup appearances. He should be highly motivated to finish the tournament with another goal. He is paying 1.70 to find the back of the net with betting sites.
France vs England prediction
Both teams must recover quickly from painful semi-final defeats, but France appear better equipped to finish the tournament with a victory. Les Bleus had an extra day to prepare and possess greater depth across their squad, which could prove important if both managers make several changes. England remain dangerous through Kane and their collection of attacking midfielders, but their exhausting knockout run may finally catch up with them. We expect England to score in an open contest before France’s additional quality in the final third proves decisive.
Our final France vs England prediction: France win 2-1.
