|
Current World Champions |
Colours |
Made by Nike - Midnight navy crew-necked jerseys, white shorts,
red socks. |
Rank |
FIFA (6th
October 2022) 4th
EFO ranking
Group One (2nd)
ELO rating
5th |
Captain |
Hugo Lloris |
Manager |
Didier Claude Deschamps 54 (15 October
1968), appointed 8 July 2012
|
119th captaincy |
137th
match, W 88 - D 27 - L 22 - F - A . |
France Lineup |
1 |
Lloris, Hugo H.D |
35 349 days |
26 December 1986 |
GK |
Tottenham Hotspur FC,
England |
143 |
0 |
5 |
Koundé, Jules O. |
24 28 days |
12 November 1998 |
RB |
FC Barcelona, Spain |
16 |
0 |
4 |
Varane, Raphaël
X. |
29 229 days |
25 April 1993 |
RCD |
Manchester United FC,
England |
91 |
5 |
18 |
Upamecano, Dayotchanculle
O. |
24 44 days |
27 October 1998 |
LCD |
FC Bayern München, Germany |
11 |
1 |
22 |
Hernandez, Théo B.F. |
25 65 days |
6 October 1997 |
LB |
AC Milan, Italy |
11
|
1
|
|
82nd min. for shoving Mason Mount in his back (79:42).
PENALTY |
|
|
|
8
|
Tchouaméni, Aurélien
D. |
22 317 days |
27 January 2000 |
RDM |
Real Madrid CF,
Spain |
19 |
2 |
14 |
Rabiot, Adrien T.M. |
27 251 days |
3 April 1995 |
LDM |
Juventus FC, Italy |
34 |
3 |
11 |
Dembélé,
M. Ousmane,
off 79th min. |
25 209 days |
15 May 1997 |
RAM |
FC Barcelona, Spain |
33 |
4 |
|
46th min. for a late tackle on a sprinting Jude Bellingham. |
|
|
|
7
|
Griezmann, Antoine |
31 264 days |
21 March 1991 |
AM |
Club Atlético de Madrid, Spain |
115 |
42
|
|
17th min. for tripping Kyle Walker as he ran towards the centre-circle |
|
|
|
10 |
Mbappé
Lottin, Kylian S |
23 355 days |
20 December 1998 |
LAM |
Paris Saint-Germain FC |
64 |
33 |
9
|
Giroud, Olivier J. |
36 71 days |
30 September 1986 |
CF |
AC Milan, Italy |
118 |
53 |
France
Substitutes |
scoreline:
France 2 England 1 |
20 |
Coman, Kingsley J., on 79th min. for Dembélé |
26 |
13 June 1996 |
RM |
FC Bayern München, Germany |
44 |
5 |
result:
France 2 England 1 |
unused
substitutes: |
2-Benjamin Pavard, 3-Axel Disasi, 6-Matteo Guendouzi, 12-Randal Kolo Muani, 13-Youssouf
Fofana, 15-Jordan Veretout, 16-Steve Mandanda, 17-William Saliba, 24-Ibrahima Konaté,
25-Eduardo Camavinga, 26-Marcus Thuram. |
team
notes: |
Hugo Lloris overtakes Lilian Thuram as the France player with the most
appearances. He already holds the record of most captaincies.
Kingsley Coman replaced Ousmane Dembélé during the
French second goal celebrations, so timings are unknown - well before
78:56. Squad members, the Hernandez's are brothers |
Coach, the longest-serving coach at this tournament, Didier Deschamps played for France against England in February
and June of 1992 and captained in three more matches in June 1997,
February 1999 and September 2000 (his 103rd and final appearance). |
|
4-5(2-3)-1 |
Lloris - Koundé, Varane, Upamecano,
Hernandez - Tchouameni, Rabiot - Dembélé (Coman), Greizmann,
Mbappé - Giroud |
Averages (Starting XI): |
Age |
27 years 333
days |
Appearances/Goals |
59.5 |
12.9 |
|
|
Rank |
FIFA (6th
October 2022) 5th
EFO ranking
Group One (4th)
ELO rating 7th |
Colours |
The Nike 2022 home uniform -
White crew-necked jerseys
with dark to light blue
fury gradient sleeves, fury/void cuffs, blue void shorts,
white socks with fury/void thin hoop. |
Captain |
Harry Kane |
Manager |
Gareth Southgate, 52 (3 September 1970), appointed caretaker manager on 27 September 2016, appointed as permanent manager on 30 November
2016. |
⁴⁵ most goals as captain |
55th of 74, W 32 - D 12 - L 11 - F 124 - A 47. |
P 81st of 102, W 49 - D
18 - L 14 - F 174 - A 57 |
England
Lineup |
|
unchanged from the previous match |
league position (10th November) |
|
1 |
Pickford, Jordan L. |
28 278 days |
7 March 1994 |
G |
Everton FC
(PL 16th) |
50 |
38ᵍᵃ |
the 66th player to reach the 50-app
milestone |
2 |
Walker, Kyle
A. |
32 196 days |
28 May 1990 |
RB |
Manchester City FC
(PL 2nd) |
73 |
0 |
5 |
Stones, John,
off 90+8th min. |
28 196 days |
28 May 1994 |
RCD |
Manchester City FC
(PL 2nd) |
64 |
3 |
6 |
Maguire, J. Harry |
29 280 days |
5 March 1993 |
LCD |
Manchester United FC
(PL 5th) |
53 |
7 |
|
90th min. for a jumping higher than Antoine Griezmann
and fouling him. |
|
|
3 |
Shaw, Luke P.H. |
27 151 days |
12 July 1995 |
LB |
Manchester United FC
(PL 5th) |
28 |
3 |
8 |
Henderson, Jordan B.,
off 79th min. |
32 176 days |
17 June 1990 |
RDM |
Liverpool FC
(PL 8th) |
74 |
3 |
4 |
Rice, Declan |
23 330 days |
14 January 1999 |
LDM |
West Ham United FC
(PL 15th) |
39 |
2 |
22 |
Bellingham, Jude V.W. |
19 164 days |
29 June 2003 |
CM |
Bsv Borussia 09 Dortmund,
Germany |
22 |
1 |
20 |
Foden, Philip W.,
off 85th min. |
22 196 days |
28 May 2000 |
RF |
Manchester City FC
(PL 2nd) |
22 |
3 |
9 |
Kane, Harry E. |
29 135 days
|
28 July 1993 |
CF |
Tottenham Hotspur FC
(PL 4th) |
80 |
53
¹⁷
⁴
|
|
the 103rd
penalty-kick scored
(140)
38th penalty-kick missed
(141) |
eighteenth player to reach the 80-app
milestone |
17
|
Saka, Bukayo A.T., off
79th min. |
21 96 days |
5 September 2001 |
LF |
Arsenal FC
(PL TOP) |
24 |
7 |
England
Substitutes |
scoreline:
France 2 England 1 |
19 |
Mount, Mason T., on 79th min.
for Henderson |
23 325 days |
10 January 1999 |
AM |
Chelsea FC
(PL 7th) |
36 |
24 |
5 |
12 |
final app
2019-22 |
10 |
Sterling, Raheem S., on 79th min.
for Saka |
28 2 days |
8 December 1994
in Kingston, Jamaica |
LF |
Chelsea FC
(PL 7th) |
82 |
71 |
20 |
11 |
final app
2012-22 |
11 |
Rashford, Marcus, on 85th min.
(84:10)
for Foden |
25 40 days |
31 October 1997 |
RF |
Manchester United FC
(PL 5th) |
51 |
22 |
15 |
29 |
7 |
Grealish, Jack P., on 90+8th min.
(97:04) for Stones |
27 86 days |
10 September 1995 |
AM |
Manchester City FC
(PL 2nd) |
29 |
12 |
2 |
17 |
result:
France 2 England 1 |
unused substitutes: |
12-Kieran Trippier, 13-Nick
Pope, 14-Eric Dier, 15-Kalvin Phillips, 16-Conor Coady,
18-Trent Alexander-Arnold, 23-Aaron Ramsdale,
24-Callum Wilson, 25-James Maddison, 26-Conor Gallagher. |
team notes: |
26th match against the
Current World Champions, first since 2017. First meeting with
France as World Cup holders since September 2000. It is the first time
since 1962 that England have met the World Cup holders at a World Cup
Final tournament, losing to Brazil. Sixth defeat out of six
meetings on a neutral ground. Third defeat out of three
meetings at WCF. Jack Grealish's great great
grandfather,
Billy Garraty, also played for
England in 1903. The 21st fixture England have played in the
month
of December is their first defeat. The 32nd meeting with France is
the third at World Cup Final tournament, in 1966 and 1982, but the
first in the second phase of the competition. Kyle Walker's first
touch of the ball was to puncture it with his studs after just five
seconds, bringing down an Ousmane Dembélé long ball
intended for Klylian Mbappé. As Jude Bellingham picked up the pass, he
informed the ball of its flatness and John Stones played the ball out
of play after 11 seconds. Dembélé then finally threw the
ball pack to Jordan Pickford into play after 34 seconds. Mason
Mount replaced Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling replaced Bukayo
Saka during the French second goal celebrations, so timings are
unknown - well before 78:56. |
youth notes: |
England and
France have met several times in
youth level matches
featuring the participating players. Luke Shaw started for the
under-16s against France in April 2011, and Mason Mount did so in
February 2015. Phil Foden was a substitute in October 2015. Jude
Bellingham was a goalscoring captain in the October 2018 fixture, but
just a starter four months later. Harry Kane started for the
under-17s in the February 2010 meeting. Jordan Pickford started the
Finals match in May 2011 and Mount did so in the Finals of May 2016.
Mount returned to start for the under-18s in the November 2016
meeting, scoring the first goal in the penalty shoot-out. Bukayo Saka
srted and scored a penalty-kick in September 2018. Kane started and
scored for the under-19s in the Finals match of July 2012. He then
started and scored twice for the under-21s in November 2014. Pickford
started the May 2016 fixture, and Jack Grealish did so in November
2016. Foden started and Mount was a substitute, in the June 2019
Finals match. |
Penalty-kicks records: |
England are awarded two penalty-kicks in one match for the first time
in thirteen months (San
Marino November 2021). Scored from one and missed with another for
the first time in eighteen months (Romania
June 2021). It was at the last World Cup Final tournament in 2018
(vs.
Panama) that England were awarded two kicks in a Major Tournament
Finals. It is, however, the first time England have scored one, and
missed one, at a Finals Tournament. It is the first penalty-kick
missed (not saved) since Harry Kane missed
against Turkey in June 2016. |
World Cup records: |
Harry Kane captains England at WCF for a record eleventh
time, overtaking Billy Wright, Bobby Moore and David Beckham. England's
ninth WCF
quarter-final match
(W3 D1 L5 F12
A14) - only failing to score once (in 2006), and only progressing
three times (1966, 1990 & 2018). No other country has been
eliminated more than England's seven at this stage of the competition.
England's only goal of the match was their thirteenth in this
tournament, beating the previous record of twelve set at the last
tournament 4½ years ago. Jordan Pickford becomes the first
goalkeeper to concede eleven, then twelve
World
Cup Final goals. Not since accurate records began (1966) have
England
receive so little cautions. One for the whole tournament, beating
the previous best of two in 1970. |
Major Tournament records: |
Twentieth WCF defeat in their 74th WCF match
(W 32 D 22). Both Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling join Ashley Cole as the
player with the
most
Major Tournament Final appearances....22. |
|
4-3-3 |
Pickford - Walker,
Stones (Grealish), Maguire, Shaw - Henderson
(Mount),
Bellingham, Rice - Foden (Rashford), Kane, Saka
(Sterling) |
Averages (Starting XI): |
Age |
26 years 333
days |
Appearances/Goals |
48.1 |
7.4 |
|
So, it is all over for another World Cup campaign, and unfortunately, once again,
England just fell short when it mattered most. To be fair, it was pretty obvious that
they did not receive the rub of the green, especially from a very poor referee, but then
again, when do we ever get that little bit of good fortune? In the end France went
through, some would say, a little luckily, but you make your own luck in football, and
that is something England must learn.
This match actually turned out to be one of, if not the best, game of the whole
tournament so far. Early on, both sides went hell for leather trying to gain the upper
hand, and for the first five minutes it was nip and tuck. England were going long at
times, not a bad ploy against a French side with suspect defensive speed. On ten
minutes France won a corner, and from it Olivier Giroud saw a low header saved by
Jordan Pickford. It was a warning for England as the old campaigner, often a thorn
against England, had to be watched very carefully. Meanwhile, Declan Rice was
working his socks off, and the West Ham man was in fine form all night.
The one thing that England needed from a fairly bright start was the first goal, but on
17 minutes it was France who broke the deadlock. Bukayo Saka was blatantly fouled
on the edge of the French penalty area, but the referee amazingly decided to ignore it.
From the breakaway the ball was teed up to Aurelien Tchouameni, and his shot from
range beat Pickford, a shot that the goalkeeper would be disappointed to concede.
Defenders not closing down the player quick enough did not help, and from an
England perspective, it was a poor goal all round. Having said that the non-decision
on Saka being fouled was inexcusable.
Over the next fifteen minutes England came back strongly, Hugo Lloris saving from
Luke Shaw, and then the goalkeeper excelled again when he thwarted Harry Kane.
On 25 minutes Kane was blatantly fouled in the box. Again the referee did nothing,
VAR was checked, although what they see in these VAR studios is often different to
what the fans see. On 29 minutes, Lloris's personal battle with his Tottenham
clubmate Kane continued with a fine save. From the resultant corner, somehow,
France scrambled the ball away. They were living on a knife edge at times. And their
players were rattled, with several more blatant fouls going unpunished. How Antoine
Griezmann did not receive more than one booking in the first-half only the ref could
tell you, as the player committed several outrageous fouls.
On the 39th minute the subdued Kylian Mbappe shot over with his only real chance of
the game, with Kyle Walker keeping the French star very quiet.
The half ended at 1-0
to the French, but that was an unjust scoreline after a spirited showing by England.
Immediately after the restart Jude Bellingham was brought down by Adrien Rabiot,
for another yellow card. Had the ref been issued new instructions perhaps? Two
minutes into the half, so near to an England goal as Lloris, such a pain in the rear end,
saves a fine shot by Bellingham with his fingertips. Does he ever play this well for
Spurs one wonders? From the corner, Harry Maguire came oh so close to an
equaliser. When Mbappe then went down theatrically, a foul was given, and at the
time I wrote, "This ref is going to cost us!"
On 54 minutes the Brazilian ref actually spotted a foul on Saka by Tchouameni, and
this time, oh joy, he gave England a penalty. Personally, I couldn't watch as Kane
took his penalty, I didn't need to worry as the familiar kiss of the ring and punching of
the air gave me all I needed to know. Back came France though and this time it was
Pickford's time to shine as he did well to keep out a Rabiot shot. Two minutes later
there was plenty of panic in the England area, but the Three Lions escaped. On the
hour both sides were desperate for the upper hand, making it an exciting game to
watch. Saka tested Lloris twice more, Griezmann blatantly brought down Phil Foden,
a foul that should have seen the Frenchman with at least a second yellow. Saka was
giving the French defenders headaches and twice he threatened again as he was
brought down. From the free-kick, Maguire's header so nearly gave England the lead,
with ball scraping a post. That could have so easily been the turning point, but as it
turned out, France were again the ones to strike.
Bellingham was brought down, without punishment, much to his disgust, and when
Theo Hernandez centred from the left, only a brilliant save from Pickford stopped
Giroud from scoring. England's fans, and me, thought we had cleared the danger, but
almost immediately another cross came in from the left and this time Giroud buried
his header past Pickford. It was a fine header, but where were the defenders? It had
to be Giroud though didn't it?
Gareth Southgate made two changes with Jordan Henderson and, surprisingly, Saka
going off, with Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling coming on. Within seconds
Mount was into the box, looking a certain scorer when he was barged to the ground
with the most blatant of fouls by Hernandez, making no attempt to play the ball. The
referee's decision.....Play On! Unbelievable. In the end he was persuaded to consult
VAR, and it was a definite penalty, but not only that, should have resulted in a red
card for Hernandez.
Once again, I couldn't watch as Kane stepped up. Just got the feeling it wasn't quite
right. Sadly, this time it was the French who were jumping for joy as Kane blasted
the ball well over the crossbar. It was so un-Kane like, but sadly it was the death
knell for England.
With eight minutes added on, there was still hope, and when Maguire was fouled on
the edge of the box with seconds to go, the free-kick was entrusted to substitute
Marcus Rashford. His dipping shot scraped the top of the net with Lloris beaten,
much to the agony of all England fans watching.
And not a lot more to say, as the game ended, once again, with England so near yet so
far. The one fear was that they would go out with a whimper, but nothing could be
further from the truth. England played really well for long spells in this match, but
France have learned the way to win these type of important games, something that so
far England have failed to do. None of the team could be faulted though and in the
main they are a young team that should only get better over the next few years. Let's
hope so anyway.
|