After delivering a 15/4 winner in Argentina's triumph over England on Wednesday night, Vladislav Tchakarov is tasked with producing another winning bet builder for France's third-place match with England.
France vs England, Saturday (22:00)
Finishing third will not be a good-enough consolation for either France or England after both sides produced their worst performances in the semis. This is what makes this clash more difficult to predict, as we can't know their motivation with confidence.
Nevertheless, we have much to discuss, and I believe my analysis can lead us to another solid win.
France To Finish Third
France and England had a similar experience in the semis and now share the same fate. Both sides were shut down from the start and never found their rhythm.
Theoretically, England played the better game, at least scoring once against Argentina. And again, theoretically, if not for Thomas Tuchel's bad decision to pull his players back for 40 minutes, England could have at least taken the match to extra time.
But then again, I believe Spain produced one of the best World Cup performances in history, and France were simply shut down from start to finish.
However, if we ignore the semi-finals, France were far more impressive than England in the tournament overall. They have significantly more firepower than the Three Lions, who have relied exclusively on Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham.
Mentally, the backlash from England's performance could be the difference-maker. Not to mention that this will be Didier Deschamps' last match with France, so that's one more reason for a strong showing.
Kylian Mbappe 2+ Shots On Target
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe had a stellar World Cup performance up to the semi-finals. With eight goals and three assists so far, he has already surpassed his tally from the 2022 finals. But he was practically invisible against Spain, which led to the famous defeat.
England's biggest issues in this tournament have been in defence, and Mbappe will have a lot more chances against them.
There is also value in Harry Kane's lines, as this could end up being his final World Cup match for England. You can also opt for a safer bet builder option with the “Either Player To Score” market, and choose both Mbappe and Kane, but I'm prepared to take a risk and only pick the Frenchman.
France vs England: Both Teams To Score
I think the biggest question mark is whether both teams will be motivated enough for this match. The bronze medal isn’t what they were hoping for, and it’s entirely possible we’ll see a dull, slow-paced game.
Still, the lack of serious pressure could actually set the stage for one of the most entertaining matches of this World Cup, and we have two teams capable of putting on a real goal-scoring spectacle for the fans.
It’s always easier to expect goals than to hope there won’t be any, so I’m choosing BTTS for the final selection in this bet builder.
Recommended Bet:
- France To Finish Third
- Kylian Mbappe 2+ Shots On Target
- Both Teams To Score
- Bet Builder: 11/5 (Bet365)
Vladislav has been professionally engaged in freelance journalism for seven years and has worked with numerous leading sports publications. A football and martial arts fanatic, he spent years training in both disciplines before turning to writing.
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