France vs England: World Cup third-place play-off bet builder tips

France vs England prediction

Our bronze-medal match prediction: France 3-2 England

France vs England predicted lineups

France

Our predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Samba / Gusto, Konate, L . Hernandez, T. Hernandez / Tchouameni, Kante / Cherki, Zaire-Emery, Doue / Mbappe

England

Our predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Henderson / Quansah, Chalobah, Burn, O'Reilly / Mainoo, Bellingham / Madueke, Eze, Rashford / Kane

First up in our World Cup third-place play-off bet builder, we're tipping France and England to play out something of a goal-fest, with over 3.5 goals being scored.

The French frontline have excelled at the 2026 World Cup, with Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise all being involved in at least five goals, and with Didier Deschamps' side scoring 16 times in their seven games this summer, they all-but guarantee goals. England have been less prolific, with only Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham scoring more than once, but all of their last four games have featured over 2.5 goals, so they're no strangers to high-scoring affairs.

It's difficult to predict exactly how this one is going to pan out, but we're expecting (or at least hoping for) a thriller, so over 3.5 goals is our pick.

In a rotated Three Lions starting XI, we're backing Marcus Rashford to get his first start since the Round of 32, and as he looks to showcase exactly what England have been missing out on, we're backing the Manchester United man to have at least one shot on target.

One of just four players to have scored for England at the 2026 World Cup, Rashford has averaged over 1.5 shots on target per 90 in his five appearances, and actually took more than 4.5 shots per game - so he's always a threat. The 28-year-old is up to four World Cup goals in his career now, putting him in England's top five alongside Michael Owen and Bobby Charlton, and facing up against a potentially reshuffled French backline, he'll certainly fancy his chances of adding to that tally.

So Marcus Rashford to have 1+ shots on target seems a decent pick here, with the winger looking to end the tournament exactly as he started it.

On a similar note, Coral's experts are also tipping Rayan Cherki to have a shot on target in the World Cup third-place play-off, with the Manchester City star hoping to make his mark on a tournament that certainly hasn't gone to plan.

Cherki hasn't started a single game so far, playing a combined total of 79 minutes across six matches, and hasn't actually mustered up a single shot on target at the tournament - but his Premier League record suggests that when he gets an opening, he won't be shy about trying his luck. The 22-year-old had an average of just under three shots per 90 in the league last term, with about 25% of them hitting the target, and as he looks primed to feature from the start here, he'll be desperate to impress - even if the game doesn't carry as much importance as it might've done.

So Cherki to have 1+ shots on target is the third pick of our France vs England bet builder, with the Frenchman causing a rotated England defence a host of problems.

Finally, we're tipping France to win the 2026 World Cup third-place play-off, condemning England to defeat at this stage for the second time in three tournaments.

The Three Lions lost the bronze-medal match to Belgium in 2018 thanks to goals from Thomas Meunier and Eden Hazard, and have actually never won a third-place play-off in World Cup history - and the latest odds on Coral don't suggest they're going to buck that trend here. France were the favourites to lift the trophy until they crashed out in the semis, and have beaten England on their last two meetings, including in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup, so will be confident of ending on a high here - particularly with a motivated Kylian Mbappe still vying for the Golden Boot.

It's tough to call, with two good teams potentially rotating drastically, but we're backing France to wrap up their World Cup campaign with a win, claiming the bronze medal at England's expense.

You can bet on these outcomes individually, or group them together into a France vs England bet builder, which combines for a 7/1 bet at the time of writing.

All odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.

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