… as Mbappe, Kane eye Golden Boot
England and France will meet in the FIFA World Cup third-place play-off on Saturday in Miami, with both sides aiming to end their campaigns on a positive note after missing out on a place in the final.
While neither team had targeted the bronze-medal match, the fixture carries added significance. France captain Kylian Mbappé remains in contention for the tournament’s Golden Boot, while the game will mark the end of Didier Deschamps’ 14-year tenure as France head coach.
Semi-final disappointment
France arrive in the match after a 2-0 semi-final defeat to Spain, despite entering the tournament as one of the favourites. England also suffered late heartbreak, surrendering a second-half lead to lose 2-1 to defending champions Argentina after Lionel Messi created goals for Enzo Fernández and Lautaro MartÃnez.
ALSO READ: 8 World Cup stars to watch in the summer transfer window
Saturday’s encounter will be the first meeting between England and France since Les Bleus secured a 2-1 victory in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Golden Boot race remains open
The race to finish as the tournament’s top scorer adds another layer of intrigue.
Mbappé enters the match level with Argentina captain Lionel Messi on eight goals, although Messi currently leads because of his superior assist tally.
England captain Harry Kane and midfielder Jude Bellingham remain outsiders in the race with six goals each and could still close the gap with strong performances.
Under FIFA’s tournament regulations, the Golden Boot is awarded first on goals scored, followed by assists and then minutes played if players remain level.
Team news
France are expected to be without defender William Saliba, who was forced off during the semi-final defeat to Spain with a recurring back problem.
According to reports, Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix is expected to partner Ibrahima Konaté in central defence, while Theo Hernández could replace Lucas Digne at left-back.
Warren Zaïre-Emery and Rayan Cherki are also expected to feature, with Mbappé leading the attack.
England have injury concerns of their own, with Reece James expected to miss the match with a muscular problem, leaving Djed Spence as the likely replacement at right-back. Jordan Henderson remains sidelined with a broken wrist.
Jude Bellingham’s availability also remains uncertain pending a possible FIFA disciplinary decision following an altercation after England’s semi-final defeat. Morgan Rogers is pushing for his first start of the tournament, while Kobbie Mainoo could make his first appearance.
Deschamps’ final match
The game will bring the curtain down on Didier Deschamps’ spell in charge of France after 14 years.
During his tenure, Deschamps guided France to the 2018 FIFA World Cup title in Russia, the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar and several other major tournament successes, making him one of the country’s longest-serving and most successful national team coaches.
History and motivation
England are seeking to improve on their previous World Cup third-place finishes after losing the bronze-medal matches to Italy in 1990 and Belgium in 2018.
France, meanwhile, will be aiming to preserve their unbeaten record in previous World Cup third-place matches and end Deschamps’ era with one final victory.
Although the World Cup title is no longer within reach, both teams have significant individual and collective incentives as they conclude their campaigns in Miami.
