With both teams physically and emotionally drained after deep runs through the expanded 48-team tournament, however, the traditional bronze-medal match may feel like an unwanted assignment for players who arrived in North America dreaming of lifting the trophy.
“None of these players, none of the French players want to play this match. They want to play in the final. We gave everything to be in the final,” England coach Thomas Tuchel said.
But others may be more motivated, with Didier Deschamps taking charge of Les Bleus for the final time and Kylian Mbappe chasing individual history.
However, for the English team, the ultimate prize might now be out of reach but there is still a chance for this to end as a historic tournament for England. Winning a third-place play-off for the first time might not be what fans were dreaming of when the World Cup began – but it would ensure this was England men’s best finish at the tournament for 60 years.
Victory over France would mean only their 1966 triumph would rank above this year’s efforts.
Two previous third-place play-offs at the World Cup have ended in defeat.
