Bronze on the line as England, France meet in World Cup showdown

England will be hoping to end their 60-year wait for a World Cup medal when they take on France in the third-place play-off on Saturday.

The Three Lions missed out on a place in the World Cup final after losing 2-1 to Argentina in the semi-finals on Wednesday in Atlanta, United States.

With their dream of winning the trophy over, England will now focus on securing third place and claiming the bronze medal. A victory over France would see them finish on the podium for the first time since lifting the World Cup on home soil in 1966.

However, England face a tough challenge against France, who were beaten 2-0 by European champions Spain in the other semi-final.

Speaking ahead of the match, England manager Thomas Tuchel admitted that the defeat to Argentina left deep disappointment among his players. He said the team was still hurting from the loss but must quickly move forward.

Tuchel has faced criticism for some of his tactical decisions during the semi-final. England had taken the lead through Anthony Gordon, but late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez helped Argentina complete a comeback victory.

The former Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain manager accepted responsibility for the result, saying decisions made during matches are often taken under pressure.

According to him, the defeat remains painful for both him and the players, but it is something they must learn from as they continue their development.

Tuchel also acknowledged that England still have work to do to match the achievements of leading football nations such as Argentina, Spain and France, all of whom have enjoyed success at major international tournaments in recent years.

Despite the setback, the German coach expressed confidence that his team would respond positively. He said England are determined to improve and close the gap on the world’s best teams.

Meanwhile, defending champions Argentina will face European champions Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.