Hunt’s Heroics, Zidane’s heart-breaker and a tense draw in Donetsk… England’s five previous tournament clashes with France as they prepare to meet again in Qatar
England and France have met five times throughout football history, with the fixture having throwing up plenty of drama over the years.
As the pair prepare to do battle for the sixth time at the 2022 Qatar World Cup on Saturday night, SportsMail have revisited some of the epic clashes both sides have played out in the past.
It’s worth noting also that of those five clashes, England have won two while France have won just one, with both ides playing out two draws.
So from Bryan Robson’s Brace to Zidane’s heartbreaker, here are the five times both nations have met throughout football history.
Zinedine Zidane (left) scored a brace of goals against England at Euro 2004 in Lisbon
Bryan Robson (pictured) scored the fastest ever World Cup goal against France in 1982
1966 World Cup group stage, Wembley
ENGLAND 2 FRANCE 0
Roger Hunt strikes twice to seal top spot in Group One for England. Alf Ramsey’s side have two goals ruled out and are lucky Nobby Stiles is not sent off for throwing a punch at France’s Robert Herbin. Jimmy Greaves needs 14 stitches after a challenge down his shin from Joseph Bonnel, handing Geoff Hurst a way into the team for the quarter-final against Argentina.
1982 World Cup group stage, Bilbao
ENGLAND 3 FRANCE 1
Captain marvel Bryan Robson puts England in front 27 seconds into the World Cup — and puts them back in front on 67 minutes, before Paul Mariner completes a dream start against a France team captained by Michel Platini. Ron Greenwood’s side then beat Czechoslovakia and Kuwait to breeze through Group Four.
Eric Cantona (pictured) stars for France against England at the 1992 European Championships
EURO 1992 group stage, Malmo
FRANCE 0 ENGLAND 0
A dismal campaign continues with a stalemate against a side managed by Platini and led on the pitch by Eric Cantona and Jean-Pierre Papin. Centre back Basile Boli is somehow not sent off for a brutal headbutt on Stuart Pearce (left). Graham Taylor’s England, who also drew 0-0 with Denmark in their opener, are knocked out in the next match by hosts Sweden and Tomas Brolin.
Joleon Lescott (pictured) headed Roy Hodgeson’s side ahead against France in 2012
Euro 2004 group stage, Lisbon
ENGLAND 1 FRANCE 2
England are seconds away from victory in their opening game after Frank Lampard’s first-half header — despite David Beckham having a penalty saved by Fabien Barthez with 17 minutes left — when Zinedine Zidane strikes twice in stoppage time. First, he whips a 25-yard free-kick past a helpless David James, who then brings down Thierry Henry in the box two minutes later after a disastrous backpass by Steven Gerrard. Zidane places the ball, is sick directly next to it, and buries the penalty.
Euro 2012 group stage, Donetsk
FRANCE 1 ENGLAND 1
Joleon Lescott heads Roy Hodgson’s side in front on the half-hour but Samir Nasri smashes in an equaliser at Joe Hart’s near post to go in level at half-time. England finish top of Group D after beating Sweden and co-hosts Ukraine but bow out in the quarter-finals against Italy on penalties, following misses from Ashley Young and Ashley Cole.
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