+ France-England, Saturday, 11:00 p.m.
Miami Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
SVT1/SVT Play/P4 Radio Sport
+ Deschamps says "adieu"
Didier Deschamps has been France's national team coach since 2012, but Saturday's bronze medal match will be his last at the helm. He can look back on a career that includes World Cup gold in 2018 and World Cup silver in 2022. He also captained France when they won World Cup gold as a player in 1998. Only Deschamps, Brazil's Mario Zagallo and Germany's Franz Beckenbauer have won World Cup gold both as a player and as a national team captain.
+ Mbappé chases victory in the scoring league
Ahead of the medal matches this weekend, France's Kylian Mbappé and Argentina's Lionel Messi share the lead in the scoring league with eight goals each. Messi, however, is ranked ahead on more assists. Mbappé was held scoreless in the semi-final against Spain (0-2), but scored in the quarter-finals and round of 16. Mbappé is also second in the all-time scoring league with 20 goals in total in World Cup contexts, one behind Messi.
+ Do the stars rest?
Several changes are expected in the French team ahead of the bronze medal match, according to newspaper L'Équipe. Players expected to be rested include Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembélé.
+ James may risk missing the game
England could be without Reece James against France, according to The Independent. James came off in the 81st minute of the semi-final against Argentina with concerns he may have suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury. James suffered a similar injury in the group stage and missed three matches.
+ The statistics speak for France
England won the World Cup in 1966 on home soil. In fact, it is England's only World Cup medal to date. The nation has lost two bronze medal matches, in 1990 when Italy took bronze on home soil, and in 2018 when Belgium defeated England in Russia. France has played three bronze medal matches at the World Cup, winning two, against West Germany in 1958 and Belgium in 1986. In 1982, they lost to Poland.
+ Kane seeking revenge in the last World Cup?
The last time the teams met in a World Cup match was in the quarter-finals four years ago, when France won 2-1. Aurélien Tchouaméni and Olivier Giroud scored for France. Harry Kane equalised from the penalty spot but later missed a second penalty that could have made it 2-2. Will Kane get his revenge now?
After the semi-final defeat to Argentina, questions were raised about Kane's future in the England national team. The striker has turned 32, and the question is whether he has another World Cup tournament in him.
"It's too early to talk about it. I'm a person who takes it year by year and sees how I feel. Representing the national team is something I enjoy on a personal level," Kane said at the press conference after the semi-final.
England is hosting the European Championship in two years. Maybe that will keep him in the national team.
