Michael Kenrick 18/07/2026 29comments  |  Jump to last

The most pointless game in world football... and England are part of it. The World Cup semi-finals losers play for the dubious honour of determining who is the worst loser of the two: France or England.

With any luck, it will be all change and Jordan Pickford will be relieved of his duties, meaning an early night is in order.

Saturday 18 July 2026
 
22:00 France v England — BBC 1

 

 

Reader Comments (29)

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Christy Ring
1 Posted 18/07/2026 at 21:03:47
Just asking, all the pundits making excuses about Rice carrying an injury, and making excuses about his performance, and he’s playing again tonight, bullshit
Michael Kenrick
Editorial Team
2 Posted 18/07/2026 at 21:12:01
And indeed Pickford is dropped for Dean Henderson:

England: D Henderson; Quansah, Konsa, Guehi, Spence; Rice, Eze; Saka, Rogers, Rashford; Toney

Subs: Pickford, O'Reilly, Stones, Anderson, Kane, Bellingham, Chalobah, J Henderson, Burn, Gordon, Watkins, Madueke, Trafford, James.

It's game 69 of the season for Rice... while Everton's excuse for their abysmal finish to the season was that they were all tired because they had to play as many as 40 games. What utter rubbish.

Goodnight!
Alan McGuffog
3 Posted 18/07/2026 at 21:19:23
I think for a few seasons in the mid sixties we had this in the FA cup. It was played amidst widespread apathy as I recall
Jim Bennings
4 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:04:50
Christy

Lol, Rice just made you eat humble pie my friend.

In truth Rice been poor in this tournament yes but outside Bellingham in most of them and Kane, nobody has stood out for me.
Christy Ring
5 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:30:40
Jim, how did Rice make me feel humble pie, he was crap in the last two games and they're playing for third place, just saying Jim.
Alan McGuffog
6 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:32:05
Game being played as a friendly. Agreement in place not to hurt one another in a dead rubber. Sensible.
Jim Bennings
7 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:35:09
Chill Christy just a joke.

On a different note, I'm just sad that more games haven't been hosted in Mexico.

The only true fervent football nation out of the three hosts.
Andrew Ellams
8 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:35:38
Are the French surrendering here?
David West
9 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:36:40
Think playing in the Arsenal MF is a bit different to playing in the Everton MF.

Chasing shadows half the season with your passes bouncing off your big dope front men's shin, protecting a 1-0 Lead for 70mins, with no RB, a LB who shits his undies if you give him the ball.
Playing with the ball for 80-90% of a season is half as hard as trying to win games with 20% possession.

Not taking anything away from Rice, he's probably relishing it after being flogged by Moyes.
Mark Ryan
10 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:39:18
The French are on the beach and we think this game matters.
Andrew Ellams
11 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:41:59
Not sure Deschamps would want to go out like this Mark.
Christy Ring
12 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:43:26
Jim, all good my friend, just a pity they didn't have the same freedom against Argentina
Jim Bennings
13 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:45:04
France getting embarrassed a bit here.

The game may be irrelevant but still...
David West
14 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:49:39
It means nothing though, add in a bit of pressure and their arses go.

1 thing though, England have players who can keep the ball, so why didn't he use them when it mattered.
John Collins
15 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:52:09
Defensive manager takes the handbrake off.
4-0
Mark Ryan
16 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:55:21
None of these French superstars wants to pick up an injury before their Holibobs and they could not give a fuck. The commentator is getting a semi but we needed to win in the semi. The game is a friendly and Deschamp won't give a toss. His job is gone and he won't care less. Les Blues won't feel blue for long they'll all be on a beach somewhere earning £200,000 a week taking in the rays, happy days.
Christy Ring
17 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:56:17
Saka, Eze, Rashford and Toney starting, does it say anything?
Alan McGuffog
18 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:56:21
The way that the English lad was allowed to turn for the for the fourth goal. Does anyone think he would have been allowed to do that in a competitive game ? Yes its nice to see us play well but its largely due to France not giving a f...
Les Callan
19 Posted 18/07/2026 at 22:59:06
Piece of piss when the opposition can’t be arsed.
Alan McGuffog
20 Posted 18/07/2026 at 23:15:13
The so called pundits are pretending this is a real game. So that they can start their "our brilliant squad will walk the Euros" bullshit.
David West
21 Posted 18/07/2026 at 23:26:56
11 men behind the ball now in a 3 place non game.. rattled England now.

Dan burn incoming 4-3
Bill Gall
22 Posted 18/07/2026 at 23:28:30
Didn't England now there are 2 half's of a football game
Ian Horan
23 Posted 18/07/2026 at 23:29:22
be interesting what the pundits say about Hendersons performance !!!
Mark Ryan
24 Posted 18/07/2026 at 23:29:36
I'm pleased that France are now at least trying a bit. Its made for a better game
David West
25 Posted 18/07/2026 at 23:31:21
Shit themselves. France just come out and said oh your actually taking it seriously.. OK then and took the piss out of England.

If this wasn't a joke game they'd be out of sight of England
Pete Hughes
26 Posted 18/07/2026 at 23:31:42
You can bet your life if Pickford was in goal here he would be slaughtered over these 3 goals England have conceded?
Bill Gall
27 Posted 18/07/2026 at 23:33:13
The best thing about this game is fortunately Pickford is not in goal.
Chris Leyland
28 Posted 18/07/2026 at 23:33:20
England concede 3 goals for the first time since… the last time Henderson started instead of Pickford. And the last time before that they conceded 3 was when Pope started ahead of Pickford. And before that it was when Ramsdale started instead. Can you spot the pattern yet?
Robert Birks
29 Posted 18/07/2026 at 23:33:32
At least Henderson is good 👍😊😊😊😊😊 I meant shite

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