The third-place match is a bit of an odd tradition at the World Cup. For some teams, it’s a celebration of a successful tournament and an opportunity to play together as a team once more. For others, it’s a laborious endeavor after the disappointment of losing in a semifinal.England and France are both on the disappointed side of things, which makes this match an absolute nightmare to predict.France is heavily favored (-215 to take third), but there are so many variables, from which key players might get rested to the motivation of either team. Here’s a look at the odds along with some picks from our betting staff. Honestly, though, we’re here to provide some info and amuse ourselves in our picks competition, but this is more of a “don’t try this at home” type of thing.France vs. England
Time: Saturday, 5 p.m. ETTV: Fox (English), Telemundo (Spanish)Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.Les Bleus looked like the best team all tournament until they weren’t. Spain dominated France in a way that only Spain can. How will France respond to the disappointment after being the clear favorite to win the tournament?England has had another strong tournament, but still no trophy to show for it. The Three Lions have made the semifinals in two of the last three World Cups and have been losing finalists at the last two Euros. That’s a strong run and clear progress compared to the decades prior, but when you’re a traditional power in the sport without a trophy in 60 years, progress and good runs don’t quite cut it.In 2018, England played a third-place match against Belgium and lost 2-0. Belgium was making its second-ever World Cup semifinal, and first in 32 years, so the Red Devils were probably happier to be there than England. It’s hard to make that case for either team this year.
