France-England live: Follow Deschamps’ final bow in third-place playoff
France-England live: Follow Deschamps’ final bow in third-place playoff
France and England meet in the third-place playoff at the World Cup in Miami, with Didier Deschamps preparing for his final match as France manager after 14 years at the helm. Les Bleus and the Three Lions seek redemption following their semi-final heartbreak. Follow our liveblog for minute-to-minute commentary.
Official lineups for France-England
England: Maignan – Gusto, Konaté, Lacroix, T. Hernandez – Zaïre-Emery, Rabiot – Olise, Cherki, Doué – Mbappé (c).
Angleterre: Henderson – Quansah, Konsa, Guéhi, Spence – Rice (c), Eze – Saka, Rogers, Rashford – Toney.
This match marks the conclusion of Didier Deschamps‘ record-breaking tenure as France manager. France‘s coach will oversee his 185th and final match leading Les Bleus, hoping to bow out with a victory. Deschamps has steered France through a golden era, but his time ends on a bittersweet note after their semi-final defeat to Spain.
Kylian Mbappé carries additional motivation into this match, sitting level with Lionel Messi on eight goals in the pursuit of the Golden Boot. The French superstar also has his eye on World Cup history: with 20 tournament goals, he sits just one behind Messi’s all-time record of 21.
Thomas Tuchel’s England side arrive in Miami nursing deep wounds after their dramatic semi-final loss to Argentina. The Three Lions were within touching distance of their first World Cup final in 60 years before Messi’s Argentina delivered a devastating 2-1 comeback blow. England’s anguish is palpable, and their enthusiasm for this third-place match remains minimal…