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  • France and England to clash in World Cup Third Place Playoff Everything can wait!

    France and England to clash in World Cup Third Place Playoff Everything can wait!

    The 2026 FIFA World Cup’s penultimate match is the Third Place Playoff, which will see old foes France and England renew their rivalry.

    Les Bleus and the Three Lions suffered respective defeats to Spain and Argentina, but this bronze medal match offers a chance at redemption. Here’s the breakdown as France and England battle for bronze in Miami.

    Head-to-head

    Matches played 32

    France wins 10

    England wins 17

    Draws 5

    France goals 41

    England goals 72

    France and England have met in 32 matches, with the Three Lions winning 17 matches compared to 10 for Les Bleus, while five games have been drawn.

    The teams’ most recent meeting was in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with France winning 2-1 thanks to goals from Aurelien Tchouameni and Olivier Giroud.

    Players to watch

    France – Kylian Mbappe

    Tournament stats

    – Appearances: 7

    – Goals: 8

    – Assists: 3

    – Yellow/red cards: 1/0

    Though this World Cup will end in disappointment for Mbappe (regardless of the result of this Third Place Playoff), he could yet win the Golden Boot and/or Golden Ball, given his outstanding performances. If he can rack up a few more goals and put in another strong showing, personal accolades could yet follow.

    England – Anthony Gordon

    Tournament stats

    – Appearances: 6

    – Goals: 1

    – Assists: 4

    – Yellow/red cards: 0/0

    After his fine performances through the knockout rounds – including his goal against Argentina in the semifinal – Gordon has proven himself as a reliable and elite performer for England. He will hope to cap off a fine tournament with a strong showing in Miami on Saturday.

    Key stats

    14.6 – France have the highest xG (expected goals) at the World Cup, with 14.6 in their seven matches thus far.

    7 – Despite scoring eight goals, Kylian Mbappe has also missed the most ‘big chances’ – seven – at the tournament.

    6 – Both Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have scored six goals each – the first time that one team has two players on six or more goals in World Cup history.

    26 – England have created 26 big chances at the World Cup, a number bettered only by France (27).

    Tactical battle

    In the third-place playoff, Didier Deschamps’ France will likely blend structure with attacking freedom, using a balanced, resilient system that becomes lethal once ahead, allowing stars like Mbappé to exploit space. With this his final game, expect controlled intensity and sharp transitions.

    Thomas Tuchel’s England, however, are more methodical: built on structured possession, positional discipline and territorial control. Yet recent criticism of his over-cautious in-game management suggests a tension between control and risk. The tactical battle hinges on whether Tuchel imposes control, or Deschamps manipulates moments and punishes hesitation.

    Broadcast details

    Times CAT

    Saturday 18 July 23:00: Third Place Playoff – France v England – LIVE on SuperSport World Cup Central.

  • UEFA Euro 2024 Final, 14 July DStv Preview

    UEFA Euro 2024 Final, 14 July DStv Preview

    It all comes down to this: 50 matches have been played at UEFA Euro 2024 and all that remains is the final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, where Spain will take on England on the evening of Sunday 14 July.

    DStv is your home for Euro 2024 – a big tournament, with big stars. Stay connected or upgrade to see all 51 games live and in HD, with the best build-ups, highlights, updates and all the news you can handle from the European Championships in Germany.

    Harry Kane of England celebrates to supporters after winning the UEFA EURO 2024 semi-finals soccer match between Netherlands and England, in Dortmund, Germany, 10 July 2024

    Match background

    Spain secured their place in the final with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over pre-tournament favourites France in Munich on Tuesday night. La Furia Roja found themselves behind early on when Les Bleus’ Randal Kolo Muani headed home Kylian Mbappe’s cross, but teenage sensation Lamine Yamal soon scored an incredible equaliser. And Spain kept the momentum running with a strike from Dani Olmo just a few minutes later, which ultimately secured their chance to win the Euros for a record fourth time (adding to 1964, 2008 and 2012).

    England also came from behind to win their semifinal 2-1 against the Netherlands. The Three Lions found themselves down a Xavi Simons strike just seven minutes in but equalised via a Harry Kane penalty in the 18th minute. The rest of regulation time saw the teams cancel each other out, with an extra half hour looking necessary, but substitute striker Ollie Watkins scored a superb low drive in the first minute of injury time to settle the match. England will play in a second successive European Championship final and aim to win the continental prize for the first time.

    What the teams are saying

    Spain coach Luis de la Fuente on his team’s achievements:

    “I must keep my faith in this group of players. They always work for the common good. They’re very generous with their work rate. It’s just another sign that this is an insatiable team. I’m proud to be able to direct these players. “I know [my players] can give much more and be even better, and I’m pretty sure we will. Our idea of football is based on our self-assurance. We want to play to our strengths.”

    England coach Gareth Southgate on the chance to make history: “That’s what we came for. It’s an incredibly tough game; we’re playing the best team in the tournament so far. But we’re here still – we’re fighting, on the back of a really good performance. I’m just so pleased for everybody back home.” He added, “[The players have] moulded brilliantly over the last five to six weeks. None of them have dropped their heads, they’ve all been ready for their moment when it’s come.”

    Players to watch.

    Lamine Yamal – The teenager, who will turn 17 the day before the final, became the youngest ever goal scorer in European Championship history when he netted a sublime strike against France in the semis. Yamal’s skill, directness and unpredictability mark him out as a major threat in the final.

    Phil Foden – The Manchester City star had a quiet tournament up until the semifinal against the Netherlands, but he showed far more penetration and attacking intent, with the Three Lions more coherent and dangerous as a result. Foden will hope to again produce that kind of performance, as England chase a first Euro title.

    Head-to-head

    In head-to-head stats, Spain and England have met in 27 matches dating back as far as 1929. The Three Lions have 14 wins compared to 10 for La Furia Roja, while three games have been drawn.

    The teams last met in October 2018 in Seville for a group stage match in the UEFA Nations League, with England winning 3-2 thanks to goals from Raheem Sterling (two) and Marcus Rashford. Spain scored via Paco Alcacer and Sergio Ramos.

    Don’t miss the best football action on DStv. Visit www.dstv.com or download the MyDStv App to manage your account. Reconnect, upgrade, and stay connected to DStv to catch all the exhilarating thrills and spills from England’s elite division 24/7, 365 days of the year. DStv Stream customers are also able to enjoy all the action – all you need is a fast, stable, and reliable internet connection.

    UEFA Euro 2024 broadcast details
    All times CAT

    Sunday 14 July
    21:00: Spain v England – LIVE on SuperSport Grandstand, SuperSport Premier League, SuperSport Maximo 1 and SuperSport Maximo 2.