Football Bet of the Day: There is a reason Spandau Ballet didn’t call it ‘Bronze’

It is the 2026 FIFA World Cup game nobody has been waiting for, as England meet France in the Bronze Final (10pm UK time, 5pm local, BBC One & iPlayer). The lofty billing is just PR speak for ‘third-place play-off’. Never let it be said that the world’s governing body undersells their product.

Read on for my Football Bet of the Day, focused on the Miami Stadium clash.

France vs England Odds

FIFA can call this ‘Bronze Final’ whatever they like, but no team ever wants to find themselves playing in this fixture. Who remembers the team that came third at a World Cup? In forcing these deposed semi-finalists to entertain us one last time, organisers risk a sombre affair played out by fringe players and broken men with weary legs and heavy hearts.

The green shoots of recovery are very rarely visible in the World Cup’s most desolate ritual. Germany are the only third-placed team ever to win the following World Cup, doing so as West Germany in 1974 and once reunified in 2014.

The omens don’t get any better from there. At this year’s tournament, Croatia became the first third-placed team to even reach the following tourney’s knockout stage since Italy reached the 1994 final after losing the showpiece of their home World Cup in 1990.

Plenty of reasons to be cheerful, then.

If you’re English, you probably agonised over Thomas Tuchel’s decision to park an entire fleet of buses in front of a furious Jordan Pickford against Argentina, forcing the Lightning Seeds to add another four years of hurt onto their song. But if that is how you feel, then you might be able to get behind my betting tip for this exercise in public misery they call the Bronze Final.

My Football Bet of the Day is England to lead at half-time before the match ends as a draw after 90 minutes (plus injury time). Of course, from there extra-time and penalties will decide things if required. But I think the real value is in this one being locked in a stalemate after regulation time.

England are a ‘moments’ team. The inspired Morgan Rogers Beckham-whip that allowed Anthony Gordon to score and a country to dream. Jude Bellingham seizing upon the uncertain handling of Norway keeper Orjan Nyland to send a million English pints skyward. Harry Kane putting the Three Lions out of reach from the penalty spot in front of the Azteca’s baying horde.

Football Odds

France are a more cohesive outfit, but even the World Champions couldn’t prevent England having a moment. I think the much-maligned Tuchel’s slightly-less-maligned men will produce something in the opening 45 minutes to leave Les Bleus with a mountain to climb.

But then there’s that nervy finish against Mexico, when Jarell Quansah was sent off and Raul Jimenez put his side within a goal. Messrs Musa and Baturina of Croatia nearly puncturing the England bubble before it had been blown in Dallas. And, of course, that heartrending capitulation against Argentina on Wednesday night.

England are capable of sublime moments. They are also capable of chucking those moments into the dustbin of history. England lead. France level. Football Bet of the Day.