Dugout Discussion
18 July 2026 314 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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The third-place play-off of the World Cup may be pretty meaningless in ‘real’ football terms but for Fantasy managers, it has the potential to deliver some much-needed points.

It’s not just the fact that the ‘bronze medal match’ traditionally brings goals; it’s also the knowledge that Scouting Bonus picks suddenly abound in this fixture – something that won’t be true in the final tomorrow.

Kick-off between France and England is at 22:00 BST.

TEAM NEWS

The expected rotation has materialised as both managers make seven changes for what is a glorified friendly.

Marc Guehi ($5.1m), Djed Spence ($4.3m), Morgan Rogers ($7.2m) and Declan Rice ($7.0m) are the only four survivors for England.

That means Harry Kane ($10.5m) and Jude Bellingham ($8.3m), amongst others, are demoted to substitute duty.

The only France players keeping their places are Mike Maignan ($5.0m), Adrian Rabiot ($6.4m), Michael Olise ($9.5m) and Golden Boot-chasing Kylian Mbappe ($10.5m).

LINE-UPS

France XI: Maignan; T. Hernández, Lacroix, Konate, Gusto; Rabiot, Zaïre-Emery; Doue, Cherki, Olise, Mbappe.

Subs: Akliouche, Barcola, Dembele, Digne, L. Hernandez, Kante, Kone, Kounde, Mateta, Risser, Saliba, Samba, Tchouameni, Thuram, Upamecano.

England XI: 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.


314 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Lol to those who said france don't care about this game. They playing b team, not interested, etc

    1. BUZZBOMB ♡
      • 11 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Well where where they between 10pm and 10.50 pm then? I'll remind the wife that next time I'm late home... it was because I cared...

  2. Mr. O'Connell
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Rice can barely walk. Leaving him on in a meaningless match where he was off at the first opportunity in the QF and SF. Make it make sense.

  3. Haa-lala-land
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Saka limping

  4. lilmessipran
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Saka limping again, PL is back baby!

  5. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Those who played maximum captain or cs shield is pretty much a waste. Should have used it earlier

    1. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      I used it MD1and wasted the remaining MDs !

    2. SM001
      • 10 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Please stop talking

    3. Tony Moon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 17 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Not so. I wouldn't have captained Saka this round otherwise.

  6. Haa-lala-land
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    This is actually fascinating to see if the players have learnt anything at all, seeing they find themselves now in the same predicament as they were in V Argentina

    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      That was 1-0 lead, this 4-0!

      1. THE Wild Rover
        • 16 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        When he posted, it was one goal with ten minutes to go.

    2. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      They did learn their lesson.. went forward, got a penalty

  7. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Ivan Toney.. no wonder he went to saudi arabia

    1. THE Wild Rover
      • 16 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Should’ve left him there.

  8. THE Wild Rover
    • 16 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    That could be costly from Bellingham. Good job Olise is having a stinker.

    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Both should have scored!

  9. GreennRed
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Good game to watch though.

  10. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Kane saved for penalty shootout,?

  11. BUZZBOMB ♡
    • 11 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    James on with 7 mins to go. Guaranteed red flag until the first IB IN FPL 26/27.

  12. THE Wild Rover
    • 16 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Lol, Toney just subbed

  13. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Penalty! That should seal the 3rd place for england!

  14. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Penalty to England.

    Comeback over probably.

  15. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Who got saka? Congrats. World cup hattrick. Price jumped from 9.5 to 10.5 in fpl

  16. THE Wild Rover
    • 16 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    I don’t think anyone predicted a Saka hatty 😯

    1. Gizzachance
      • 11 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Didn’t even get a minute in semis, now plays a game

    2. karam94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Brought him in for Argentina.
      Has ended up being my Max Captain today.

      What a strange game this is...

  17. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Olise terrible this wc really. Lot of assists but terrible finishing

    1. BUZZBOMB ♡
      • 11 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Honestly pal, you talk so much drivel. I dont take myself seriously, but you are that uninformed. Just noise. 0lise has 7 assists. France dont set up for him to score. He's a proven talent in England, Germany and internationally. Please just shoosht now. I cant believe it was this post of yours that tipped me over the edge. I nearly lasted the whole tournement reading the boxlo you post.

      1. jacob1989
        • 4 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Did u see his 2 terrible misses? He has been scoring for fun for bayern. His finishing has been terrible all wc. He is not just an assist man. It was his 2 misses today that cost france the game. You are the one who is uninformed.. ultimately england won bcoz olise couldn't score 2 almost 100% chances

        1. BUZZBOMB ♡
          • 11 Years
          1 month, 18 days ago

          "He is not just an assist man".

        2. BUZZBOMB ♡
          • 11 Years
          1 month, 18 days ago

          "Terrible

          Even my dog's laughing. He quite easily could be in the team of the tournement 11.

          1. jacob1989
            • 4 Years
            1 month, 18 days ago

            I think u fail to realise scoring goals is no. 1 objective in football.. if u have around 8-10 big chances in 5 games, all in knockouts and miss all of them, that is terrible.
            He is not terrible, he is a great player but his finishing has been terrible since knockouts. He also was very poor vs spain and even paraguay. So no i don't think he has been that great this wc. And 1 of reasons probably france didn't reach final. If u r a superstar player u have to deliver

            1. BUZZBOMB ♡
              • 11 Years
              1 month, 18 days ago

              France scored 16 goals in this WC, admittedly 4 tonight. Olise had 7 assists. Its a ridiculous situation that I actually have to defend Olise's effort. If there is any issue - and Spain showed there is - it's not an Olise problem. Its a France problem.

              I still think you talk boxxoll btw.

              1. Tony Moon
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 17 Years
                1 month, 18 days ago

                Well said.

            2. GreennRed
              • 14 Years
              1 month, 18 days ago

              He's a winger who scores some goals rather than a golascoring winger like Salah. 73 club goals in 309 games. Obviously that rate went up playing for a dominant team like Bayern, compared to Palace games. For France it looks very like they're instructed to feed Kylian as much as possible. Dembele, a more natural goalscorer than Olise, hasn't a great goalscoring record for France, improved slighly at this World Cup. France have serious attacking threats but Deschamp decided to skew the balance. Didn't work out great for them. At Bayern theyhave better balance, including Kane, so Olise has more goal threat.

      2. Raoul Nogues
        • 1 Year
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Totally agree with you

    2. Mozumbus
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Olise gf will give him a French Miss tonight lol

  18. JT11fc
    • 7 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Djed Spence has been a revelation, inspiring

    1. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 1 Year
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Might keep Robertson out of the team!

  19. BUZZBOMB ♡
    • 11 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Last Trevor to get an England cap?

    Love a Trevor in a team. Old school.

  20. Moon Dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Bronze Final is technically a final right?

  21. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Well this is actually one of best ever world cup games. Lol

    1. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      This is how finals should be.

      This is how all matches should be.

      1. jacob1989
        • 4 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Yes thats what i posted earlier. Too much emphasis placed on defense. Why not win 5-4 instead of 2-1 is what i posted earlier

  22. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    5-4 Dembele, but it is too late.

    1. TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Well that was a ballsy statement, amateurish football since that goal until Bellingham got a hold of it

  23. THE Wild Rover
    • 16 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Epic 😀

  24. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Brilliant Bellingham

  25. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Basketball game

    1. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      More like Baseball.

      1. CoracAld2831
        • 5 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Or Hockey.

  26. Moon Dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Jude keeping his name in the hat for the Ballon d'Or. What a player.

    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      What? No way. Didnt win anything with england or real Madrid

    2. TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Not even close lmao

  27. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Bellingham 6-4.

  28. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Wow we got a tennis score! 6-4! Took out Bellingham for doue

  29. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Defence worthy of an NBA allstar game

  30. Moon Dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Incredible game. That one will be remembered for some time.

    1. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Deserved an extra time imo.

    2. NZREDS
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Such a good game!

    3. Mr. O'Connell
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Gonna pretend it was the final

      1. Moon Dog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 1 Year
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Scoring 6 goals against the tournament favourites earns you another star on the shirt, right?