France vs England

Both squads are elite and evenly matched. France carry stronger tournament form (9 wins in last 10, GF26/GA8) and a marginally tighter defense, with Mbappe, Dembele and Doue supplying attacking edge; they also beat England 2-1 in the 2022 quarter-final.

England reached this stage with solid but slightly less dominant form (one goalless draw vs Ghana, edged tight games) but boast Kane and Bellingham. Third-place playoffs are typically open, higher-scoring and less cagey, favoring goals from both sides.

France get a slight edge on quality and defensive balance, but the gap is narrow so draw and away outcomes remain close. A 1-1 is the single most likely scoreline in an open bronze final.