France vs Poland LIVE: World Cup 2022 score and result as brilliant Mbappe sends France into quarter-finals

France play Poland at the World Cup as the knockout stage continues in Qatar. The reigning champions resume their title defence as Les Bleus look to book a place in the quarter-finals, and a potential meeting with England in the last eight.

France qualified for the knockout stages by finishing top of Group D, but were beaten by Tunisia last time out. Kylian Mbappe has been in sparkling form with three goals so far.

They face a Poland side who scraped through to the last 16 as runners-up of Group C, despite their defeat to Argentina. Robert Lewandowski’s side were the definition of anti-football in the 2-0 loss.

Relive all the action with our live blog below:

World Cup Round of 16: France vs Poland

• France face Poland in a World Cup last 16 tie at Al Thumama Stadium in Qatar with England a potential quarter-final

• 90+1’ - GOAL! Another sublime Mbappe finish puts the icing on the cake (FRA 3-0 POL)

• 74’ - GOAL! Thunderous finish from Mbappe makes it two (FRA 2-0 POL)

• 44’ - GOAL! Giroud finishes well to become France’s record goalscorer (FRA 1-0 POL)

• 38’ - OFF THE LINE! Brilliant stop by Lloris from Zielinski and Varane heads follow-up off the line (FRA 0-0 POL)

• 29’ - MISS! Sliding Giroud puts sitter wide of empty net (FRA 0-0 POL)

• 13’ - SAVE! Tchouaméni’s fizzing long-range strike pushed away by Szczesny (FRA 0-0 POL)

Penalty to Poland!

16:55 , Michael Jones

France 3-0 Poland

90+5 mins: A VAR check calls the referee over to the pitchside monitor and Poland are awarded the chance to score as the initial decision of no handball gets overturned.

France 3-0 Poland

16:51 , Michael Jones

90+3 mons: Five minutes of added time were signalled just after Mbappe added France’s third goal. They’re heading through to the quarter-finals.

Kylian Mbappe now has nine World Cup goals to his name in just two appearances at the finals. That’s a seriously impressive effort.

GOAL! France 3-0 Poland (Mbappe, 90+1)⚽️

16:48 , Michael Jones

90+1 mins: Another fantastic finish from Kylian Mbappe!

Youssouf Fofana brings the ball to the byline on the left side of the pitch before sending it inside to Mbappe. He rolls the ball onto his right foot and curls and powerful strike into the far top corner.

There’s a huge grin on the 23-year-old’s face as he record his fifth goal of the tournament.

France 2-0 Poland

16:46 , Michael Jones

86 mins: Poland win a free kick in the middle of the pitch that Zielinski floats into the penalty area. Adrien Rabiot is up highest to comfortably nod the ball away for France.

The world champions are cruising towards this win.

France 2-0 Poland

16:42 , Michael Jones

83 mins: If France do go on to win this game then they will face the winner of the last-16 tie between England and Senegal.

A lot of the neutrals will be hoping for a France vs England quarter-final but Senegal are no pushovers and they will give the Three Lions an tricky game this evening.

France are controlling this one easily enough. They’ve knocked the wind out of Poland’s sails here.

France 2-0 Poland

16:37 , Michael Jones

80 mins: Two Frenchmen were immediately taken off following the goal with Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembele swapped out for Kingsley Coman and Marcus Thuram.

Kylian Mbappe now has four goals in this tournament and leads the race for the golden boot.

France 2-0 Poland

16:36 , Michael Jones

77 mins: Barring a surprising comeback from Poland now you’d think that France have done enough to get themselves into the quarter-finals.

It hasn’t been the most free-flowing performance but it’s been one of confidence and control from the reigning champions.

GOAL! France 2-0 Poland (Mbappe, 74’)⚽️

16:32 , Michael Jones

74 mins: Kylian Mbappe! Just as it looked like France where facing a nervous quarter of an hour the French superstar pops up to double his team’s lead.

France break on the counter-attack with Antoine Griezmann feeding the ball up to Olivier Giroud. He sends it out wide to Ousmanne Dembele before sprinting into the box and drawing away the two centre-backs.

Dembele sends the ball across the pitch and finds Mbappe who touches it into the area then smokes and beautiful finish into the back of the net!

France 1-0 Poland

16:29 , Michael Jones

70 mins: More changes for Poland now as Jakub Kaminski and Grzegorz Krychowiak are hooked in favour of Nicola Zalewski and Krystian Bielik.

Can these substitutes get Poland on the scoresheet?

France 1-0 Poland

16:26 , Michael Jones

67 mins: Poland are just waiting on that one great chance in front of goal. This is almost it.

Frankowski whips a cross in from the left side of the pitch and almost picks out Kaminski in the middle but Theo Hernandez leaps in front of the Polish forward and nods the ball clear.

France 1-0 Poland

16:24 , Michael Jones

64 mins: Robert Lewandowski has drifted out to the right side on a number of occasions during this half but his crosses into the box haven’t been great which kind of defeats the point of moving him out wide.

Youssouf Fofana comes on to replace Aurelien Tchouameni for France as Poland introduce Arkadiusz Milik to come on for Sebastian Szymanski.

France 1-0 Poland

16:19 , Michael Jones

61 mins: Despite Poland being the ones needing to score it’s France who look the most likely. Dembele is being given a free roam on the right and brings the ball to the box once more.

He pulls a pass back to Mbappe whose first touch is poor allowing Poland to nick the ball away from him before he can shoot.

France 1-0 Poland

16:17 , Michael Jones

58 mins: Disallowed goal! Poland deal with the initial corner ball but the ball comes back out to Griezmann who swings in another cross.

His target is Raphael Varane but Wojciech Szczesny comes off his line and punches the ball away. Both men collide as the goalkeeper comes over the top of the French defender and then hit the deck along with the nearby Matty Cash.

The referee blows his whistle to stop play just as the ball is floated back into the box and Olivier Giroud scores an overhead kick into the open goal.

It’s not going to count though as the whistle went first.

France 1-0 Poland

16:13 , Michael Jones

55 mins: Gaps are appearing in Poland’s defence as they try to get higher up the pitch. Dembele goes on another decent run down the right side before sliding a pass into the area for Griezmann.

He squares the ball over towards the back post where Mbappe is arriving but Kamil Glik is well positioned to turn the ball behind for a corner.

France 1-0 Poland

16:10 , Michael Jones

52 mins: France are quite passive when Poland have the ball and aren’t that bothered about pressing. They hold a tight shape defensively making it difficult for Poland to find a route into the box.

Zielinski attempts to open up some space on the edge of the area but a loose touch allows Griezmann to recover the ball and clear the danger for France.

France 1-0 Poland

16:06 , Michael Jones

49 mins: Shot! Antoine Griezmann takes the free kick over on the right side of the pitch and fires a shot towards goal that Wojciech Szczesny punches away!

He hit this one with pace and it’s a good stop from the goalkeeper.

France 1-0 Poland

16:05 , Michael Jones

48 mins: Ousmanne Dembele dinks the ball behind Bartosz Bereszynski and looks to sprint past the Polish left-back before getting into the box. Bereszynski lunges at the loose ball and pokes it away from Dembele but he takes out the man in the process and picks up a yellow card!

Second half: France 1-0 Poland

16:03 , Michael Jones

Is there a way back into this last-16 tie for Poland? They kick off the second half and trail by one goal to nil knowing they need to score to, at the very least, take the match into extra-time.

No changes in personnel at the break.

England’s route to the World Cup final: Who would Three Lions play next if they beat Senegal?

16:00 , Michael Jones

Gareth Southgate’s England squad will be hoping to make it back-to-back finals in major international competitions later this year - and this time go one step better and lift the trophy.

Four years ago the Three Lions reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup as the upturn in international fortunes began under Southgate, before they went the distance to the final at Euro 2020. Now in Qatar the objective will remain the same, to end the long wait since 1966 for success on the biggest stage.

Three matches in the group phase and then three further knock-out fixtures must be navigated at the finals before the trophy is up for grabs on 18 December at the 80,000-seater Lusail Stadium.

When is England’s next match if they beat Senegal?

HT France 1-0 Poland

15:56 , Michael Jones

Hugo Lloris today equalled Lilian Thuram as the most capped player in the history of the French national team (142nd cap).

He also equals Thierry Henry and Fabien Barthez for the joint-most World Cup appearances for Les Bleus (17).

HT France 1-0 Poland

15:52 , Michael Jones

Olivier Giroud opens the scoring at the Al Thumama Stadium. Can Poland respond after the break?

Half-time: France 1-0 Poland

15:48 , Michael Jones

45+2 mins: France take a lead into half-time after their main striker, Olivier Giroud, opened the scoring just before the break.

In doing so he also goes above Thierry Henry as France’s all time leading goalscorer. It’s a good time to take that record isn’t it?

GOAL! France 1-0 Poland (Giroud, 44’)⚽️

15:44 , Michael Jones

44 mins: There’s the breakthrough!

This is a tasty one from France. Ousmanne Dembele works the ball over to Dayot Upamecano who steps up then pitch and slides a pass into the feet of Kylian Mbappe.

He spins towards goal before slipping the ball into the box where Olivier Giroud times his run perfectly and guides a first-time left-footed strike over to the far bottom corner!

France 0-0 Poland

15:43 , Michael Jones

41 mins: Jules Kounde is flagged by the assistant referee and told to remove two gold necklaces before taking a throw in deep in Poland’s half.

France put the ball into the middle but Poland are well dug in and manage to deal with the cross.

France 0-0 Poland

15:39 , Michael Jones

38 mins: Off the line! Massive opportunity for Poland.

Bereszynski gets in behind the French back line on the left side of the pitch and carries the ball to the byline before pulling a pass back into the penalty area.

Piotr Zielinski comes running onto the ball and drills a shot at goal that Hugo Lloris does brilliantly to keep out. Poland have another go as they latch onto the rebound but Raphael Varane is well positioned to clear the ball off the line!

France 0-0 Poland

15:37 , Michael Jones

35 mins: Poland are showing how they can challenge France. Matty Cash brings the ball down the right side and fizzes a low, curling pass into the penalty area.

Lewandowski stretches out to meet the ball but it just skips by his outstretched left foot.

Chance! At the other end of the pitch Kylian Mbappe twists and turns his way into the left side of the box, leaving Cash perplexed at how quickly he moves the ball.

Space opens up and Mbappe smokes a shot into the side netting.

France 0-0 Poland

15:33 , Michael Jones

32 mins: Przemyslaw Frankowski brings the ball inside from the left wing for Poland and runs into trouble when coming up against Aurelien Tchouameni.

The French midifelder brings him down and gifts Poland a free kick in shooting distance.

Robert Lewandowski takes it but hits the wall with a poor effort at goal.

France 0-0 Poland

15:30 , Michael Jones

29 mins: Chance! France should be 1-0 up.

A misplaced pass gives the ball to Antoine Griezmann who slips a pass into the right side of the box for Ousmanne Dembele. He brings the ball under control before sending a pacey pass into the six-yard box.

Olivier Giroud arrives at the back post but has to lunge for the ball and his effort sees it roll wide of the target!

France 0-0 Poland

15:27 , Michael Jones

27 mins: Sebastian Szymanski whips the free kick into the penalty area but sends the ball skipping over everyone’s head and out the other side of the box.

France take over possession and feed Kylian Mbappe down the line. He flies down the pitch and gets alongside the bow but his no options around him and eventually loses the ball.

France 0-0 Poland

15:25 , Michael Jones

24 mins: This is better from Poland. They’ve kept possession inside the French half of the pitch and are building up their attack slowly but surely.

Bartosz Bereszynski brings the ball down the left and wins his side a free kick after a late clip from Ousmanne Dembele.

France 0-0 Poland

15:22 , Michael Jones

21 mins: Close! Giroud and Griezmann combine in the Polish penalty area but can’t find a break through, The Poles kick start a counter-attack from the clearance and bring the ball down the right wing before sending a cross into the penalty area.

Raphael Varane deals with it but nods the ball straight to Robert Lewandowski who touches the ball a couple of steps closer to goal before smoking a shot wide of the near post!

France 0-0 Poland

15:19 , Michael Jones

19 mins: Jakub Kaminski and Piotr Zielinski are the two driving forces to get Poland up the pitch. They have to work the ball quickly and make pacey runs down the wide areas if they want to force France back.

Robert Lewandowski is being isolated in the middle of the front line and he’s closed down immediately whenever the ball comes to him.

France 0-0 Poland

15:18 , Michael Jones

16 mins: The opening quarter of an hour has belonged to France. Poland’s focus has been on keeping the French forwards from opening the scoring.

Shot! Ousmanne Dembele receives the ball on the inside right and cuts inside as Olivier Giroud makes a decent run across the ball.

He draws away one of the centre-backs creating space for Dembele to fizz a shot at goal but Szczesny spies it early and dives low to smother the effort.

France 0-0 Poland

15:15 , Michael Jones

13 mins: France are ramping up the pressue on the Polish back line. They’ve won three or four corners already and want to take on defenders with runs into the box.

Save! Aurelien Tchouameni drills a shot from range towards the Polish goal and forces a sharp stop out of goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczesny!

France 0-0 Poland

15:12 , Michael Jones

12 mins: Close! After a short corner Griezmann switches the play over to Mbappe on the left wing. Mbappe brings it inside and sends a floating cross into the middle searching for Olivier Giroud.

The aerial pass is overhit though and the ball lands safely in the waiting arms of Wojciech Szczesny.

France 0-0 Poland

15:10 , Michael Jones

9 mins: It’s going to be a long day for Matty Cash coming up against Kylian Mbappe. The French winger flies down the left and gets past the right-back who does okay to keep Mbappe on the edge of the box.

He caught stop the cross though and needs some help from a lunging Jakub Kiwior who nods the ball behind from the tip of the six-yard box.

France 0-0 Poland

15:07 , Michael Jones

6 mins: Poland’s first foray into France’s final third sees them win the ball high up the pitch and send Matty Cash into space on the right wing.

There’s a couple of Polish players in the penalty area but Cash’s cross curls too close to Hugo Lloris who plucks the ball out of the air.

France 0-0 Poland

15:04 , Michael Jones

4 mins: Chance! Antoine Griezmann swings in the corner ball and picks out Raphael Varane in the middle of the box. The French defender leaps into the air and bombs a headed effort wide of the nearest post!

France 0-0 Poland

15:03 , Michael Jones

3 mins: Griezmann delivers the free kick into the box from the inside right side of the pitch. Poland have plenty of men back to defend and they clear their lines.

France recover the ball though and patiently come at the Eastern Europeans once again with Dembele winning a corner with an attack down the right.

Kick off: France 0-0 Poland

15:02 , Michael Jones

France get this last-16 clash underway with Olivier Giroud sending the ball to Aurelien Tchouameni. He sends it over to the right-back Jules Kounde who flicks the ball up the pitch.

Ousmanne Dembele brings it under control and lays the ball off to Antoine Griezmann. He’s met with a heavy tackle from Bartosz Bereszynski who gives away an early free kick.

France vs Poland

14:54 , Michael Jones

Here come the teams.

France are the overwhelming favourites to get through this last-16 game. They have Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Raphael Varane.

But Poland are led up top by Robert Lewandowski. Which of these mega stars will be heading home today?

Kick off is up next...

France vs Poland

14:50 , Michael Jones

No players has created more chances than the 11 Antoine Griezmann has produced for France in this tournament, and his 2.34 expected assist mark is the best in Qatar, according to the stats gurus at Opta.

The Atletico Madrid forward is in fact the only player to create at least 10 chances in both this World Cup and Russia 2018 for France.

France’s star striker

14:46 , Michael Jones

Kylian Mbappe has had nine more shots (16) and five more shots on target (seven) than any France player in the 2022 World Cup.

Only Just Fontaine (13) has more World Cup goals for France than Mbappe (seven), who scored twice in the round of 16 in 2018 against Argentina.

Poland’s key player?

14:42 , Michael Jones

Will Wojciech Szczesny be crucial in Poland’s bid for a quarter-final berth? Yes.

Szczesny has a 90% save percentage at the 2022 World Cup, and had saved each of his first 16 shots on target faced in the tournament prior to Alexis Mac Allister’s goal for Argentina.

He has saved a penalty in each of his last two games at the World Cup, while no goalkeeper on record has ever stopped three penalties in a single edition of the tournament since 1966, excluding shootouts.

‘I’m not going to pay!’: Wojciech Szczesny reveals €100 bet with Lionel Messi over World Cup penalty

14:38 , Michael Jones

Wojciech Szczesny has revealed he made a €100 bet with Lionel Messi over whether their collision during Argentina’s World Cup win over Poland would be given as a penalty.

The Poland goalkeeper rushed out to punch a cross but missed the ball and clattered into a leaping Messi during the first half of the crucial Group C encounter at Stadium 974. The referee, Danny Makkelie, did not deem the incident a penalty but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened and instructed the on-field official to check his pitch-side monitor.

As the players waited for the decision, Szczesny says he was so confident over the outcome that he bet Messi €100 that the referee would not change his mind. Cameras then showed Szczesny offer up a wry smile as the referee duly awarded the spot-kick.

‘I’m not going to pay!’: Wojciech Szczesny reveals €100 bet with Lionel Messi

France vs Poland

14:34 , Michael Jones

The fans are excited for today’s last-16 encounter but which set of fans will be leaving happy this afternoon?

France history beckons for Hugo Lloris but can Robert Lewandowski spoil the party?

14:30 , Michael Jones

For a man whose only club trophy is the 2012 Coupe de France, Hugo Lloris has already enjoyed a career of rare success. If Sunday will bring another indelible achievement, there is a chance it will be dwarfed by another two weeks later. When he faces Poland, The Tottenham goalkeeper will equal Lilian Thuram’s record of 142 caps for France. Everyone else, from Michel Platini to Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry to Marcel Desailly, is already far behind him.

Prevail in Lusail on 18 December, however, and Lloris will stand apart in footballing history. No man has captained two World Cup-winning teams. Judging by the number of times Lloris referred to being focused on a last-16 tie with the Poles, he is trying not to be distracted by the prospect of an unparalleled feat.

But the inevitability of drawing level with Thuram was impossible to ignore. “It is quite something and I am very honoured to reach that figure and that number of caps,” said the goalkeeper. “I will probably appreciate reaching that record once the competition is over and hopefully after a successful tournament.”

France history beckons for Hugo Lloris but can Robert Lewandowski spoil the party?

France vs Poland

14:26 , Michael Jones

This will be Poland’s first match in the knockout stage of a World Cup since 1986, when they lost 4-0 to Brazil in the round of 16.

They are facing the reigning champions at a World Cup for the third time, having avoided defeat in their previous two such games.

France wary of threat posed by Robert Lewandowski ahead of last-16 clash

14:22 , Michael Jones

France boss Didier Deschamps warned the defending champions they cannot afford to become another World Cup casualty.

The 2018 winners face Poland on Sunday in their last 16 clash having already lost 1-0 to Tunisia in the group stage.

Germany and Belgium suffered surprise early exits while Spain lost to Japan and Argentina were stunned by Saudi Arabia. France are favourites to progress but Deschamps, who won the World Cup as a player in 1998, remains wary.

France wary of threat posed by Robert Lewandowski ahead of last-16 clash

France vs Poland

14:18 , Michael Jones

The French team have arrived at the Al Thumama Stadium. Kick off is just over 40 minutes away, who will join the Netherlands and Argentina in the semi-finals?

France’s knockout round success

14:14 , Michael Jones

Since the last 16 stage was introduced in 1986, France have appeared at this here five times and progressed on every occasion. Doing so in 1986, 1998, 2006, 2014 and 2018.

Twice out of those five campaigns they went on to win the whole tournament.

Poland boss hopes for increased influence from Lewandowski

14:09 , Michael Jones

Czeslaw Michniewicz is hoping Poland, who have reached the second round of the World Cup for the first time in 36 years, can improve their service to star striker Robert Lewandowski after he was unable to have an influence in their last outing against Argentina.

"We played difficult passes in easy situations, we didn’t create enough opportunities for Robert. Strikers like that, they need to be near the penalty box," the Poland boss said.

"In order to take advantage of every team we need to bring the strikers to the right zone. You can’t normally score from your own half."

Didier Deschamps defends rotation ahead of France’s ‘second competition’

14:04 , Michael Jones

Not one to back down from a challenge in his playing days, Didier Deschamps wasn’t going to take a backward step here either.

“There were reasons for the players to be rested. Games are now 100-minutes long. These are my choices, and I stand by them,” he said, the World Cup-winning player and coach of France reflecting after watching his defending champions slump to shock defeat to Tunisia in the final game of Group D.

Already assured of progressing and almost guaranteed to finish top of the group, Deschamps opted to make nine changes from the side that had become the first team in Qatar to qualify for the last-16 with the win over Denmark just four days previous.

Didier Deschamps defends rotation ahead of France’s ‘second competition’

France vs Poland

13:58 , Michael Jones

This will be the second meeting between France and Poland at the World Cup and first since their third-place play-off match in the 1982 tournament which ended in a 3-2 win for Poland.

However, France are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Poland in all competitions (W3 D4), with their last defeat coming in a friendly in August 1982 (0-4).

France vs Poland team changes

13:53 , Michael Jones

French boss, Didier Deschamps, brings back his main starting players in nine sweeping changes to the team that lined-up against Tunisia last time out. Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud and Ousmanne Dembele all return to the forward line. Only Raphael Varane and Aurelien Tchouameni keep their places in the starting XI from the previous outing.

There are two changes to the Poland side that lost 2-0 to Argentina but still managed to make it out of the group stages. Karol Swiderski and Krystian Bielik drop out with Jakub Kaminski and Sebastian Szymanski brought in.

France vs Poland line-ups

13:47 , Michael Jones

France XI: Lloris, Koundé, Varane, Upamecano, Theo Hernández, Griezmann, Tchouaméni, Rabiot, Dembélé, Giroud, Mbappé

Poland XI: Szczęsny, Bereszyński, Kiwior, Glik, Cash, Frankowski, S. Szymański, Krychowiak, Zieliński, Kamiński, Lewandowski

France vs Poland

13:46 , Michael Jones

Who will be triumphant today? Team news for France vs Poland should be arriving shortly.

Lionel Messi finds the ‘fire inside’ to leave galvanised Argentina with ‘goosebumps’

13:43 , Michael Jones

The Argentina players instantly knew that Aziz Behich had made a mistake, and that Lionel Messi was going to “bring out that fire inside”. It gives them “goosebumps”, in the words of Lisandro Martinez.

Messi had actually been pretty poor in the first half-hour of the last-16 match against Australia, misplacing three successive passes. It was then that Behich got into a flare-up, pulling his shirt to also pull Messi over the line, and something changed. The Argentina players have seen it before.

They love it when he’s angry.

“We know that when something like that happens to him, he has the personality to make it serve him and somehow play better,” Alexis Mac Allister says. “He brings out that fire inside, that personality that becomes even bigger than it is and, in this level of match, he makes himself big.

Lionel Messi finds ‘fire inside’ to leave galvanised Argentina with ‘goosebumps’

Louis van Gaal masterclass sees Netherlands beat USA to cruise into World Cup quarter-finals

13:38 , Michael Jones

The American dream is over but Louis van Gaal can still imagine glory. The Netherlands manager may have been in a minority of one when arguing his team could win the World Cup but his side marched into the quarter-finals with their best performance of the tournament so far. There was vindication in victory for Van Gaal as the Oranje prospered courtesy of his blueprint.

The 71-year-olds has been criticised for abandoning the Dutch tradition of wingers but his wing-backs proved potent. The second goal was created by Denzel Dumfries for Daley Blind, the third a role reversal.

Dumfries delivered the star turn, with two assists, a goal and a goalline clearance. Only Johan Cruyff and Rob Rensenbrink had been directly involved in three goals in a World Cup game for the Dutch side before, so Dumfries finds himself in elite company.

Van Gaal masterclass sees Netherlands beat USA to cruise into quarter-finals

A good title defence

13:33 , Michael Jones

2018 World Cup winners, France, are the first reigning champions to reach the knockout stage at a World Cup since Brazil in 2006.

They sealed qualification from the group stages with a game to spare before a surprise 1-0 loss to Tunisia in their final game.

Manager Didier Deschamps made nine changes for that game and is expected to revert back to his full strength line-up for their last-16 tie against Poland this afternoon.

How far into the tournament will the current title holders get?

Deschamps not underestimating Poland

13:28 , Michael Jones

French boss, Didier Deschamps says that his players will not take a spot in the quarter-finals for granted and will be prepared and respectful against Poland this afternoon.

"Today, even a great nation, if she is not ready, can have unpleasant situations," Deschamps warned. "All the games are difficult, all the teams are good and prepared. The players all play in good leagues.

"This team [Poland] has had to defend in the first three games, defend a lot and they defend very well. They love it.

“They have a hardcore of players with good experience. You have to respect what this team does, they deserve to be there."

France vs Poland prediction

13:23 , Michael Jones

There are some last-16 ties will throw up teams bang in form against notoriously more established opponents on the tournament stage.

This is not one of them.

A first-choice French side, led by Kylian Mbappe, should have far too much for a Poland team who have yet to really impress despite qualfying from their group.

France 2-0 Poland

World Cup Golden Boot: Messi, Rashford, Mbappe and Gakpo vie for top goalscorer at Qatar 2022

13:18 , Michael Jones

The Golden Boot is the award given to the player who scores the most goals at a World Cup, and the race is on for the prestigious prize at Qatar 2022.

Previous winners include France legend Just Fontaine, who scored 13 in 1954, a record tally at a single World Cup which still stands; Portugal’s Eusebio, who scored nine goals in 1966; England’s Gary Lineker, who scored eight goals in 1986; Ronaldo, who scored eight as Brazil won the 2002 World Cup; and the current England captain Harry Kane who scored six goals last time out in Russia.

Fifa hands out a gold, silver and bronze prize for goalscorers. Previously players with the same number of goals would share awards, but nowadays they are split by tie-breakers: first, who scored the fewest penalties; then who collected the most Fifa-approved assists; then who has played the fewest minutes.

World Cup Golden Boot: Who is the top goalscorer at Qatar 2022?

France vs Poland latest odds

13:13 , Michael Jones

As expected France are the odds of favourites to win today’s last-16 fixture and progress to the quarter-finals.

The reigning world champions were the first team to reach the knockout rounds and in Kylian Mbappe they have one of the most exciting stars at the tournament.

Here are the latest odds for the game:

France to win: 3/10

Poland to win: 11/1

Where to watch France vs Poland?

13:08 , Michael Jones

The match will kick off at 3pm GMT on Sunday 4 December and will be played at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha.

In the UK, it will be shown on BBC One, with coverage starting at 2:30pm, as well as on the BBC iPlayer. The match will be shown on Fox Sports 1 in the United States.

France vs Poland early team news and predicted line-ups

13:03 , Michael Jones

Having made nine changes for the loss to Tunisia, Deschamps will revert to his strongest XI for this knockout tie, with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris all expected to come back in. Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot are likely to start in midfield.

The big question for Poland boss Czeslaw Michniewicz is who will start alongside Lewandowski up top. Arkadiusz Milik is pushing for a start, while names familiar to Premier League fans such as Matty Cash and Wojciech Szczesny should also be in that starting XI.

Predicted line-ups

France: Lloris; Kounde, Varane, Upamecano, T. Hernandez; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Giroud

Poland: Szczesny; Cash, Glik, Kiwior, Bereszynski; Frankowski, Bielik, Krychowiak, Zielinski; Lewandowski, Milik

France vs Poland - Qatar World Cup Round of 16

12:51 , Jack Rathborn

Welcome to Independent Sport’s World Cup last 16 coverage for France vs Poland.

It promises to be a fascinating test of Les Bleus’ resolve after an alarming loss to Tunisia last time out for what was essentially France ‘B’.

But Kylian Mbappe, poised to make a run at the Golden Boot, and in sparking form, can ignite this tournament further.

While Robert Lewandowski, now 34 years of age, may feel this is his final chance on this stage.

Stay tuned for all the build-up, team news, analysis and discussion from the Al Thumama Stadium.