France – England Preview – Who actually wants to win this one?
Neither dressing room chose to be here. France arrive at Hard Rock Stadium a day removed from a semi-final loss to Spain, England a day removed from falling to Argentina, and a third-place match has never been a fixture either country cared much for. Even so, this France vs England betting tips preview finds plenty worth backing. Kylian Mbappe leads the race for the tournament’s top scorer and needs goals to stay level with Lionel Messi, while Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham sit just one behind the pair. Throw in a rivalry that still stings from the last World Cup, when Kane’s late penalty flew over the bar in a France win, and a game nobody wanted has turned into one worth watching.
Kick-off is set for 18 July at 21:00 GMT, one day before the final. Didier Deschamps’ side go in with the stronger recent record: before the semi-final defeat they had won every match at this World Cup, barely troubled at the back until Spain finally worked them out. That run, covered in our France vs Spain preview from the semi, is why France carry a narrow edge into Saturday rather than anything wider. England, under Thomas Tuchel, will point to a spirited run of their own that only ended against the reigning champions, a night we broke down in our England vs Argentina preview.
Team news leans toward goals rather than control. William Saliba picked up a knock in the semi-final and is a doubt, which matters against a Kane and Bellingham partnership that has carried England’s attack all summer. England, in turn, are already missing Jordan Henderson for the rest of the tournament after a broken wrist, a loss felt more in midfield discipline than in the final third. Both camps have bigger business on their minds two days from now, in a final that pits Spain against an Argentina side that ground its way past Switzerland earlier in the knockouts, so expect fresh legs and a looser shape than either semi-final produced.
France – England Betting Tips
With two heavyweight attacks on the pitch and neither back line fully sharp, the smarter angle here is the shape of the game rather than a straight winner.
Betting Tip: Over 2.5 goals
Mbappe has scored more than anyone left in this World Cup and has every reason to keep shooting with the Golden Boot still open. Kane and Bellingham are both a goal behind him and will not be shy either. Add two teams playing with nothing to lose and a coach on each bench likely to freshen up his XI, and the appetite for defensive discipline in a dead rubber like this one tends to be low.
Betting Tip: Both teams to score
Saliba’s fitness is a genuine question mark for a France back line that has not been fully tested all tournament, and Kane and Bellingham are sharp enough in front of goal to punish any gap that opens up. On the other side, Mbappe only needs one sight of goal to trouble England’s defense, and place a bet once you have checked the current World Cup betting odds on the sportsbook.
Betting Tip: Double chance: France or draw
Strip away the semi-final and France’s tournament reads as one long beatdown of everyone in front of them, winning every match before Spain finally found an answer. That kind of form does not vanish in one bad night, even with the trophy no longer on the line. Backing France not to lose covers the most likely outcomes without demanding a bounce-back performance to be perfect.
The Golden Boot subplot nobody’s talking about
Buried under the disappointment of missing Sunday’s final is a genuine individual race. Mbappe’s tally stands alone at the top, with Kane and Bellingham breathing down his neck. A quiet night from the Frenchman and a big one from either Englishman flips the leaderboard before the final whistle blows on the tournament. For a match with no trophy on the line, that alone gives both sets of players something to actually play for, and gives punters a reason to watch closely until the end.
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