France vs England: Kane’s Penalty Wound and the 27-Second Goal
Third-place games are supposed to be the match nobody wants. This one carries too much history for that. France vs England on Saturday evening in Miami (5:00…
Third-place games are supposed to be the match nobody wants. This one carries too much history for that. France vs England on Saturday evening in Miami (5:00 p.m. ET) reopens two wounds — one four years old, one from 1982.
Al Bayt, 2022: the penalty that never came down
Quarterfinal, Qatar. Tchouameni's drive, Kane's equalizer from the spot, Giroud's header. Then the 84th minute: a second penalty, same taker, same goalkeeper — and England's record scorer sent it over the bar. France won 2-1, and English football added another chapter to its penalty literature.
World Cup head-to-head
| Edition | Stage | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 (England) | Group | England 2-0 France |
| 1982 (Spain) | Group | England 3-1 France |
| 2022 (Qatar) | Quarterfinal | France 2-1 England |
| 2026 (USA) | Third place | Saturday, 5:00 p.m. ET — Miami |
Bilbao, 1982: 27 seconds
The previous World Cup meeting belonged to England — and began with one of the tournament's most famous moments. Their Group B opener in Bilbao was 27 seconds old when Bryan Robson hooked in Terry Butcher's flick-on, then claimed as the fastest goal in World Cup finals history. Robson added another, Paul Mariner finished it: 3-1.
Saturday's stakes
| Kickoff | Saturday, July 18 — 5:00 p.m. ET (10 p.m. BST, Sun 4 a.m. WIB) |
| Venue | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami |
| Extra edge | Kylian Mbappe (8 goals) plays before Messi in the Golden Boot race |
Channel guide: how to watch France vs England. Our prediction desk has its number, and the full picture lives on the World Cup 2026 bracket page.
Four World Cup meetings, two unpaid debts. For a game nobody wanted, there is an awful lot to settle.
