England vs France Combined Lineup
Both England and France succumbed to defeat in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals as they were beaten by Argentina and Spain, respectively. But which of their players would make it into a combined XI?
Of course, no-one wants to play in a World Cup 3rd place playoff. It’s a losers’ game – whilst it provides a way for teams to regain a bit of pride, it also reminds them over their overarching failure and heartbreak.
Nevertheless, let’s begin. Like with our combined lineup between Spain and Argentina, we’ll be basing this XI on players’ performances during the World Cup, rather than how good they have been throughout their careers.
GK: Jordan Pickford
This one is a bit of a no-brainer. Mike Maignan is a fine goalkeeper, but Jordan Pickford, on his day, is amongst the world’s best. He wasn’t perfect at the World Cup, but still managed to pull off some wonderful saves.
RB: Jules Kounde
This was much tougher. While we considered Reece James, we ultimately went with Jules Kounde on account of consistency. This isn’t James’ fault, as he was injured for a portion of the campaign, but Kounde must take his spot nonetheless.
CB: Marc Guehi
England’s best centre-back by a decent margin, Marc Guehi was a reliable hand throughout the tournament. As solid as a rock on the ground and in their air, the Manchester City man made very few mistakes during England’s World Cup run.
CB: Dayot Upamecano
Dayot Upamecano was seen as a bit of a shaky hand before the World Cup, but he put all of those fears to bed this year. France might have led a relatively disappointing effort, but Upamecano cannot be faulted for his performances.
