The Ancient Rivalry Lives On: England vs France in the World Cup Third Place Showdown The third place match of the World Cup is often dismissed as a footnote to the main event, but this year it's a clash of two nations with a storied history that stretches back over 900 years.
England and France face off today in Miami Gardens, Florida, their rivalry forged in blood, sweat, and tears on the battlefields of Europe.
The seeds of Anglo French animosity were sown in 1066, when William the Conqueror's Norman army defeated Harold Godwinson at Hastings and imposed a French speaking ruling class on England.