France and England's Fierce Rivalry Laid Bare Before Their Epic World Cup Showdown

A rivalry stretching back to the 1920s will reach its 33rd chapter on Saturday as France takes on England in this summer's third-place World Cup playoff.

The upcoming showdown at Hard Rock Stadium will rank among soccer's most bittersweet contests, with France and England both entering the match following heartbreaking semifinal exits against Spain and Argentina respectively. The consolation of a bronze medal carries little weight.

For neutral observers, the match should still deliver plenty of excitement, with both squads boasting an array of world-class talent eager to finish on a positive note. France and England are storied rivals as well, lending an added intensity to the encounter.

Ahead of Saturday's clash, here's a full breakdown of the historical record between Les Bleus and the Three Lions.

The Last Time France and England Faced Off

One need only look back to the 2022 World Cup for the most recent meeting between France and England. The two sides collided in the quarterfinals in Qatar in their first competitive encounter in a decade, and the match delivered no shortage of drama.

Aurélien Tchouaméni's stunning long-range effort put Les Bleus ahead inside 17 minutes, before a penalty earned by Bukayo Saka was confidently converted by England skipper Harry Kane shortly after the break to restore parity.

Both teams pushed for a decisive goal, and it was Olivier Giroud who delivered for France, glancing home a precise near-post cross to seal a 2–1 victory and a place in the semifinals.

England were handed a lifeline, however, when Theo Hernández was penalized for bringing down Mason Mount in the penalty area with six minutes remaining. Despite his typically reliable record from the spot, Kane sent his attempt sailing over the bar, bringing England's World Cup campaign to a painful end.

France vs. England at Major Tournaments

The forthcoming third-place playoff in Florida will mark the fourth World Cup encounter between these two nations. Before the 2022 quarterfinal, France and England had not met at the world's premier tournament since as far back as 1982.

England claimed a 3–1 victory on that occasion in the group stage, with Bryan Robson netting twice before Paul Mariner added a late third. A first-half strike from Gérard Soler proved to be nothing more than a consolation.

The Three Lions had also triumphed in the first-ever World Cup meeting between the sides, again in the group stage. On their way to lifting the only world title in their history in 1966, England defeated France 2–0 thanks to a brace from Roger Hunt.

The two nations have also crossed paths on multiple occasions at the European Championship. All three meetings came in the group stage, beginning with a dull goalless draw at the 1992 tournament, followed by a 2–1 French victory 12 years later. A breathtaking injury-time double from Zinedine Zidane settled a fiercely contested match.

Euro 2012 marked their most recent continental meeting, with first-half goals from Joleon Lescott and Samir Nasri producing a 1–1 draw.

France vs. England: Complete Head-to-Head Record

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Top Goalscorers in France vs. England