Jude Bellingham became the first Englishman to score seven goals at a single World Cup with a late strike in the 6-4 win over France in the third-place play-off. The Real Madrid midfielder was level with both Gary Lineker – who scored six times at Mexico ’86 – and team-mate Harry Kane, who netted six … Read more
Where to start with this rollercoaster of a match? Thomas Tuchel had promised a reaction but he could not have imagined the manner of the response from England, albeit against a France team firmly on their sunloungers during an incredible first half in which they conceded four times. Yet with Kylian Mbappé on the hunt … Read more
Key events 10 min: News that Dan Burn is warming up to come on and lead the defensive effort has been exaggerrated. Share 9 min: Rice has chance to whip in free-kick just down to the left, by the touchline. Konate, who has started well, gets it clear. Share 8 min: France are penned back, … Read more
England and France are playing in the World Cup game that no one wants to compete in – the Bronze final. Both sides would have fancied their chances of reaching the final, but came out on the wrong side of their semi-finals – Spain beat France and Argentina came from behind to beat England. So, … Read more
While both England’s and France’s World Cup journeys were cut short in the semifinals, the pair of national teams will face off in one more match for third place. England fell to defending champion Argentina, 2-1, on Wednesday, and France lost, 2-0, to Spain on Tuesday. France entered the World Cup as heavy favorites and … Read more
THE FUN FINAL? Saturday’s rebranded “bronze final” between France and England in Miami might feel like a modern, Gianni-coded exercise in squeezing the product dry, but the third-place playoff is a staple of World Cup history, even if it remains the game nobody wants to play in. The very first TPPO came in 1934, Germany … Read more
Key events I’ve just got a fairly respectable 10/15 in our challenging World Cup final quiz. Have a go … Share I’m very much looking forward to seeing Cherki play. It’s hard to argue that he’s been hard done by when France have so many incredible attackers but a man of his exceptional quality ought … Read more
Thomas Tuchel has insisted he is not interested in engaging in the “blame game” over England’s World Cup elimination and vowed to close the gap on the leading nations. Even Donald Trump has joined criticism of Tuchel’s tactics in the semi-final defeat by Argentina, with the US president questioning why he made Harry Kane “a … Read more
Asked about how he viewed the last 35 minutes of the game having had time to reflect, Tuchel said he felt “the same way – that we were too passive”. “If you’re asking if I regret my decision, if this is the question, then I don’t regret my decisions,” he added. “I felt that the … Read more
The way England’s run at this World Cup ended was desperately disappointing, but there are still plenty of positives for them to take away from the tournament. I’ve co-commentated on all of their games and my most memorable moment has to be their epic win over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium in the last 16. … Read more