England Dominates France 4-0 in First Half of World Cup Third-Place Match

England established a commanding 4-0 lead over France by halftime in the 2026 World Cup third-place playoff, showcasing a clear statistical superiority across key metrics.

The English team generated twice as many shots as their French counterparts, with 10 attempts compared to France's 5. They also provided 3 assists, highlighting their offensive precision. England controlled possession with 56% of the ball and completed 274 passes out of 289 attempted, achieving a 95% accuracy rate. This contrasted sharply with France's 85% pass accuracy on 188 successful passes from 220 attempts.

Despite the scoreline, France showed more effectiveness in ball recovery, with 9 interceptions to England's 2. They also led in clearances with 7 to England's 5. Both teams committed 5 fouls each, while England had more offsides (3 vs. 1) and corner kicks (3 vs. 2).

Declan Rice emerged as the standout performer of the first half. The English midfielder delivered a comprehensive display, including a goal and an assist. His goal, with an expected goals (xG) value of just 0.04, was expertly executed, reaching an expected goals on target (xGOT) of 0.29. Rice also contributed a key pass and maintained solid work in both offensive and defensive phases, earning a rating of 8.8.