Match Stats

● This is the fourth FIFA World Cup meeting between France and England - the Three Lions won the first two (2-0 in 1966, 3-1 in 1982) but France won 2-1 in the 2022 quarter-final most recently.

● England have won just one of their last nine matches against France (D2 L6), winning 2-0 in a November 2015 friendly. They're winless in four competitive meetings (D2 L2) since a 3-1 win in the FIFA World Cup in 1982.

● Every single FIFA World Cup third place play-off match has been won without going to penalties, with only France 4-2 Belgium in 1986 going to extra-time.

● France are competing in the FIFA World Cup third place play-off for the fourth time in their history, only Germany (five) have more appearances. Les Bleus have won on two of the previous three occasions, beating Germany 6-3 in 1958 and Belgium 4-2 in 1986, while losing 2-3 to Poland in 1982.

● England have featured in two FIFA World Cup third place play-offs, losing both of them – 2-1 to Italy in 1990 and 2-0 to Belgium in 2018. The only team to lose more than two are Uruguay (3).

● France’s 0.31 xG against Spain in the semi-finals was their lowest recorded in a FIFA World Cup match on record (since 1966), while they could fail to score in successive games of the same tournament for only the third time after 1930, 2002 (three) and 2010.

● England had just 12% possession when they were winning 1-0 for 30 minutes against Argentina in the FIFA World Cup semi-final, the lowest ever by a team when leading in a World Cup match for at least ten minutes in the last 60 years.

● Didier Deschamps will take charge of his 187th and final match in charge of the France national team, with his 121 wins more than any other head coach for Les Bleus (D35 L30). Against Spain in the semi-final, he took charge of his 26th game at the FIFA World Cup, the outright most for a head coach, while only Telê Santana (80% - 8/10) and Lionel Scaloni (79% - 11/14) have a better win rate than his 77% (20/26 – min. 10 games).

● Harry Kane has six goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the joint most of any England player in a single edition (also Gary Lineker in 1986, Kane in 2018 and Jude Bellingham in 2026). He didn't manage a single touch in the opposition box in the semi-final against Argentina, only the third time he's failed to do so in a major tournament game (EURO 2016 vs Russia, EURO 2020 final vs Italy).

● Michael Olise leads the FIFA World Cup 2026 for assists (five), with all five coming in open play, while he’s second for expected assists (2.46) behind Lionel Messi (4.12). Since 1966, only Pelé has more assists at a single edition of the tournament (6 in 1970), while no player has recorded six from open play.

● Anthony Gordon has had a hand in four goals in his last four FIFA World Cup appearances (one goal, three assists), scoring or assisting every 66 minutes in these appearances.