Offside | World Cup third-place showdown: Why England VS France is a 900-year-old derby | Football News

Hello everyone, welcome to day 38 of this World Cup.There is a funny scene in it yes minister When the right-eyed, sorry, Honorable Jim Harker asks whether nuclear weapons are absolutely necessary. Of course, if push came to shove, would the US protect the UK from Russia?Sir Humphrey Appleby was taken aback, declaring that Harker should resign if he held such unilateralist views, before pointing out that Britain’s nuclear weapons were not designed to protect Britain from Russia.Their purpose was to protect it from France.When the London School of Economics-educated hacker pointed out that the French were their allies, a beleaguered Sir Humphrey explained: “They are now, but they have been our enemies for most of the last 900 years. If they have the bomb, we must have the bomb too!”Whatever Sir Humphrey’s faults, the Oxford-educated man certainly knew his history. The modern feud between England and France began in 1066 when William the Conqueror crossed the English Channel, defeated Harold Godwinson at Hastings and established a French-speaking Norman ruling class.Since then, vast amounts of water have flowed under this proverbial bridge, or across the English Channel. England and France now face off in the last position neither wants to be in: World Cup third place match.

France vs England | Sunday, July 19, 2:30am IST at Miami Stadium

The third place match is the football game equivalent of being left at the altar and asked to pose for a photo. England thought he was going home. France considers dictators untouchable and above reproach. The pair were given stern football lessons by the two main heirs to Cruyff’s legacy.Now, when the world is affected by a Messi and Yamal took a photo when they were 19 years oldFrance and England must compete for the consolation prize that Ibrahima Konate calls a “chocolate medal.”

France’s Ibrahima Konate listens during a press conference during the World Cup third place soccer match against England in Miami Gardens, Florida, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The world and its uncles, including Trump, the benevolent leader of the free world that no one asked forhas weighed in on Tuchel’s substitutions and tactics. Yet the game involved more than one person’s damaged ego. Tuchel wants to prove England can gel with the biggest teams. France wants to say goodbye Didier Deschamps Ruled for 14 years Hosted the 2018 World Cup, another World Cup final in 2022, the 2021 Nations League and the 2016 European Cup final.Then again, this is still a World Cup game. Messrs. Mbappe, Kane and Bellingham can add to their total, Challenging for the Golden Boot. Mbappe can also become the top scorer in World Cup history. At least until the final, as long as he scores two goals, he can surpass Messi’s current record of 21 goals. No one wants to attend the after-party. While they’re here, they might as well have someone dance.warrior watchKylian Mbappe: A dictator’s final actThe Dictator enters the competition level with Messi with eight goals. He also scored 20 goals in the World Cup, just behind Messi’s record of 21 goals.Whether Deschamps will start him remains uncertain, although the France boss has confirmed his captain is available. Mbappe has a drive that others don’t: He can parlay one of the least glamorous games in the tournament into a shot at one of the most prestigious individual awards.

Jude Bellingham: England’s emotional reset buttonAfter the semi-finals, Bellingham was in trouble; Appears to slap Argentina substitute Valentin Barco.He could use the game to make a more constructive point and perhaps earn dressing room bragging rights over Real Madrid teammate Kylian Mbappe. Bellingham and Kane have six goals each, meaning both are within striking distance of the Golden Boot.battle planSpain showed the world how to beat this French team, trapping their talented attackers in isolated Chakravyuh, cutting them off from the rest of the squad. England should avoid dropping deeper as this would give Kylian Mbappe, Olise and Douai the chance to get excited. The better plan would have been to put pressure on France’s reshuffled backline, using Rodgers between the lines and attacking the space behind Theo Hernandez. Saka can suppress the French left-back, while Bellingham’s delayed runs can exploit the gaps created by the French midfielder’s movement towards the ball.England must also avoid turning the game into a pure sprint affair. If possession changes hands repeatedly, France has a faster and deeper transition attack.

President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino speak during a reception at Trump Tower in New York, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

France will immediately target England’s unfamiliar full-back position. If Quasa plays on the right and O’Reilly on the left, Mbappe and Douai will try to isolate them, forcing the England midfield to provide protection. This could allow Cherki or Aulis to leave space between the lines. Deschamps may also be able to shake off some of the caution from his attackers that characterized Spain’s defeat. Bronze medal finals tend to be more open because the fear of elimination is gone. This suited a French team that was dominated by one-on-one dominance.Decisive area: England right wing versus French left wingSaka versus Theo Hernandez could be a game-changer. If Saka forces Hernandez back, France will lose one of their most important attacking outlets. If Hernandez is able to create a two-on-one situation alongside Mbappe or Douai, England’s right wing could retreat towards its own goal throughout the evening.manager watchThis will be Deschamps’ 187th and final game as France coach. He took office in 2012 and led the team to the 2016 European Cup final, the 2018 World Cup championship, the 2021 UEFA Nations League championship and another World Cup final in 2022.

France head coach Didier Deschamps speaks during a press conference before their World Cup third place football match against England in Miami Gardens, Florida, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

His football was never universally loved, but France performed well in most competitions, ensuring that few international teams could match it. Later, Deschamps might wonder if he should have stuck to his conservative stance instead of seeking universal favor. The victory would give him his 122nd victory as France coach.Tuchel believes reaching the semi-finals represents progress, but How England were eliminated An old accusation has been leveled again: England bottle it up when the going gets tough.He wants to prove that this game marks the beginning of the Tuchel era, rather than another familiar near miss for England. The victory gave England their best World Cup result since 1966.Walk down memory laneFrance and the UK have Three encounters in the World Cup:

off courtAs England and France prepare to clash in Miami, coverage of the oldest match between them has made its way across the English Channel. The 70-metre-long Bayeux Tapestry, or what younger generations might call the Very Long Scroll, describing the invasion of William the Conqueror, has returned to Britain for the first time in almost a thousand years.

FILE – This photo taken on September 18, 2019 shows the 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry in Bayeux, Normandy, France, which records the Norman Conquest of England. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu, File)

Britain and France are brothers who have borrowed each other’s clothes and competed for inheritance for centuries. The Norman Conquest created a ruling class across the Channel, and French became the language of the English court and its so-called civilized classes (if such a thing ever existed). English became intelligible through borrowings from French, including parliament, government, justice, authority and the military.Under Henry II, the English crown controlled more French territory than the French king. The monarch was sovereign in England and feudal subordinate in France, an arrangement designed to turn family law into a suit of force. Edward III’s claim to the French throne sparked the Hundred Years’ War, while France’s friendship with Scotland ensured that England could be threatened from two directions, sometimes from the imagined Mel Gibson.After 1707, this rivalry became England versus France and spread throughout the world. Their armies, navies, and trading companies fought from Canada to the Caribbean and India. Britain emerged from the Seven Years’ War and built an empire. France retaliated by helping Britain’s American colonies win independence, at such great expense that its monarchy eventually lost its mind.Revolutionary France then gave Britain a nightmare: regicide and political contagion. Napoleon provided the military version, marching across Europe, while Britain relied on ships, money, and allies. Nelson crushed French naval ambitions on the Nile and Trafalgar; Waterloo ended Napoleon’s adventures.Germany’s rise brought old enemies into alliances. They experienced two world wars, but their friendship never eliminated suspicion. De Gaulle commanded the Free French from London, but the British also attacked the French fleet at Mer-Kebir to prevent it from falling into German hands.[After1945BritainfollowedWashington’sleadandFrancepursuedfreedomofspeech[1945年后，英国向华盛顿看齐，法国追求言论自由No Don’t ask about the United States. De Gaulle twice blocked Britain from joining the European Economic Community. Britain joined in 1973 and withdrew in 2020, reopening an age-old question: whether it belongs to Europe or simply lives beside it.Thirty-four kilometers of water separate them. The English Channel was wide enough to prevent conquest, but never wide enough to allow escape.dinner table conversationIs finishing third in a World Cup an achievement? More importantly, is it worth staying sober?