England’s World Cup dream ended in dramatic semi-final defeat to Argentina on Wednesday night, losing 2-1 in a match that saw Thomas Tuchel’s game plan fall apart. But the Three Lions have an immediate chance to salvage pride: they face France in Saturday’s third-place play-off, to be shown live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 22:00 BST.
The bronze final comes a day after France were beaten 2-0 by Spain in the other semi-final. Spain will now meet Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup final, kicking off at 20:00 BST, also live on BBC One and iPlayer, with ITV broadcasting the final live as well.
“England face France in World Cup bronze final on Saturday after semi-final loss to Argentina; final is Spain vs Argentina.”
For England, the defeat to Argentina – in which they surrendered a lead – has prompted intense scrutiny of Tuchel’s tactics. The former England captain Wayne Rooney has not held back on Tuchel’s decisions during the semi-final, and questions are being asked about whether Tuchel will stay on as England boss. Still, the team can end their World Cup journey on a positive note by winning the bronze medal.
Both weekend matches will be available in ultra high definition (UHD) on BBC iPlayer, with the BBC Sport website offering a Fifa World Cup 3D experience that lets viewers control camera angles, relive goals, and follow tactics in real time with side-by-side stats and player data. Live text commentary and in-game highlights will also be provided.
BBC Radio 5 Live will carry live commentary of both games. The final on Sunday pits the tournament’s two dominant sides against each other: Argentina, who knocked out England, and Spain, who outclassed France. For England, Saturday represents a chance to turn anguish into achievement – and to answer some of the questions hanging over Tuchel’s reign.