France is one massive step closer to becoming the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cup titles after defeating England in a highly entertaining, 2–1 quarterfinal win.
In one of the most anticipated quarterfinal matchups in recent memory, France vs. England lived up to the bill in a back-and-forth clash of European giants that featured plenty of drama. Aurélien Tchouaméni opened the scoring in the 17th minute, but England turned the tables on France in the second half with Harry Kane converting a 54th-minute penalty.
But after an Olivier Giroud goal in the 78th minute, Kane missed a second penalty that would have also seen him become England’s all-time leading goalscorer after tying Wayne Rooney’s record earlier in the match.
France will now go on to face Morocco in the semifinals on Wednesday.
Along with Kane’s record-tying performance, Hugo Lloris became France’s all-time men’s caps leader, passing Lilian Thuram with his 143rd appearance. The French captain came up huge for the side on his record-setting day with six saves in the end.
To start the match, each side traded crosses into dangerous positions before Giroud put together a series of chances. First came a wild attempt at a scorpion kick on a pass from Mbappé, and then came a shot on target when his diving header was sent directly at England keeper Jordan Pickford in the 11th minute.
It didn’t take long for Les Bleus to take the lead with Tchouaméni putting France ahead in the 17th minute. As France passed the ball all around the edge of the area, Antoine Griezmann found Tchouaméni outside the box as the Real Madrid midfielder launched a low shot that found the bottom corner to make it 1–0.
England followed that with a free kick from just outside the penalty area in the 20th minute, but Luke Shaw’s curling shot over the wall went directly at Lloris.
The Three Lions rushed back immediately with another chance as Bukayo Saka played Kane in on goal, but Kane’s shot was stopped by Lloris while the French defense cleared the loose ball at the far post.
After being denied a penalty claim by a VAR review, Harry Kane sent a shot from distance on target that required another strong Lloris save in the 29th minute.
A minute later, France struggled to clear the subsequent corner as England had a few misfires before Adrien Rabiot sent the chance away from right in front of goal.
Mbappé had another chance at goal in the 39th minute when Theo Hernández cut back a pass to him in the center of the area, but the PSG star blasted his shot over the bar on his first touch.
England came out of the second half with a series of chances, starting in the 47th minute when Jude Bellingham sent in a long shot that forced Lloris to stretch for a save.
But in the 52nd minute, Saka was taken down by Tchouaméni inside the box to draw the penalty. Kane stepped to the spot and powered it past his Tottenham teammate Lloris to tie the score at 1–1, while also drawing level with Rooney atop England’s all-time men’s goalscoring list with 53 goals.
France nearly answered right back with Rabiot sending a volley on target that forced Pickford into a good save. In the 70th minute, England nearly managed a second off a free kick as Harry Maguire sent a header that glanced off the post.
Giroud nearly gave France another lead in the 77th minute when Ousmane Dembélé sent a cross into the area. But Giroud’s shot from point-blank range was deftly saved by Pickford.
But Giroud answered just a minute later with a massive goal for France to make it 2–1. In the 78th minute, Hernández sent a sharp cross into the area that Giroud headed in for the lead.
Minutes later, a VAR review gave a penalty to England after Hernández knocked Mason Mount to the ground as a cross came into the box. Kane stepped to the spot once again, but this time he blasted the penalty well over the bar to keep things at 2–1.
England had one last chance to draw level in the 11th minute of stoppage time, but Marcus Rashford sent his free kick from a dangerous position just over the goal to seal England’s fate.
While France’s tournament continues, England heads home after making the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup and the Euro 2020 final.
