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Only two games left FIFA World CupFrance and England are fighting for third place before Sunday’s final.
France and England meet in the third round, while attention turns to Argentina against Spain, where Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal are preparing for a big show.
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Here’s what you need to know:
What is the schedule for the third place match?
What are the predictions?
France and England they met three times at the FIFA World Cup. England won the first two matches, beating France 2-0 in the 1966 group stage and 3-1 in the 1982 group stage. France held the most recent meeting, defeating England 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
According to Opta’s advanced technology, France is the favorite to win third place. After running 25,000 pre-match simulations, the model gave Les Bleus a 50.7% chance of winning in 90 minutes. England was given a 25.6% chance of winning, while 23.7% of attempts ended in the draw after the correction.
What do we know about the ending?
Spain and Argentina will meet in the tournament last SundayJuly 19, at the New York-New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, with a start of 19:00 GMT.
Spain is chasing a second World Cup title, while defending champions Argentina are looking to secure a fourth title. Their most recent meeting took place in the 2018 World Cup in Madrid, where Spain won 6-1.
US President Donald Trump is expected to attend the final and present the World Cup trophy to the winners.
The winners will also receive something new along with a trophy and gold medals. For the first time, FIFA will give away sports rings, a tradition borrowed from the North American sport. Thirty rings will be made for the winners, while another 1,996 collector’s editions will be sold to fans.
The rings will be customized to reflect the winning team and are placed individually before being handed out at a later date. One side will have the World Cup trophy, while the other will feature the champions.
Organizers are reassessing air quality after smoke from wildfires in Canada has prompted health advisories across New York City. So far, there is no indication that Sunday’s final will be affected.
What other things are going on?
Tuchel’s tactics lead to revenge
England’s World Cup defeat to Argentina has sparked fierce criticism of Thomas Tuchel, with many accusing the German coach of repeating mistakes that have plagued England for years.
After England squandered a 1-0 lead and lost 2-1, the British media questioned Tuchel’s strategic decisions, particularly his substitutions. The headlines described it as “the same old story”, while critics argued the coach had “simply waned” in the big season.
Former England captain Gary Lineker also questioned whether Tuchel was the right man to lead the team, saying he was hired to deliver a major trophy after years of missing out under Gareth Southgate. As established, Tuchel has been accused of being too cautious after taking the lead, with many arguing that his changes created pressure and ultimately cost England a place in the finals of the World Cup.
From the bathroom to the World Cup final
Almost two decades ago, artist Joan Monfort thought little of a tender picture showing a 20-year-old Lionel Messi bathing a baby in a plastic tub. A few years later, the baby was revealed to be Lamine Yamal, creating one of football’s most impressive feats.
The photos, taken in 2007 for a charity calendar produced by the newspaper Sport and UNICEF, also appeared in the World Cup final on Sunday, when Messi’s Argentina will face Yamal’s Spain. In the pictures, Messi washes the baby, whose family was chosen at random through the street in the Catalan city of Mataro.
Monfort, who took the photos while working, said the incident still shocks him. “I didn’t believe it was going to happen, but I’m starting to have doubts,” he told The Associated Press.
This story has become even more surprising because of what followed. Messi established himself as one of the greatest players in football history before leaving Barcelona in 2021, while Yamal emerged as the club’s next star just two years later. Now, the two will meet on opposite sides in the World Cup final, ending a journey that began with a lucky shot nearly 20 years ago.
Smoke disrupts preparations for the World Cup final
Spain’s preparations for the final of the World Cup have been affected by the dangerous air caused by the smoke from the Canadian wildfires, with the players playing outdoors in northern New Jersey on Thursday under cloudy skies.
The media was only allowed to watch the opening 15 minutes of the one-hour session, which made it unclear how extensive the workout was. Meanwhile, Argentina remained at its training ground near Atlanta on Wednesday after its semi-final win in England, avoiding the worst of the smoke due to its southern location.
The smoke, driven south from wildfires in northern Ontario, has prompted air warnings across the US Midwest and Northeast. Health officials urged people to stay indoors or wear masks outside as the contamination worsened.
Medical experts have questioned the decision to conduct foreign studies in such circumstances. Dr Courtney Howard, an emergency physician and staff member of the Global Climate and Health Alliance, said elite athletes should avoid exercising outdoors when smoke levels reach dangerous levels, and opt for indoor, well-ventilated spaces instead.
