World Cup Nights: final eve, Messi silences the critics. France-England Saturday, Spain-Argentina Sunday

A night off at the World Cup: after a month of non-stop football, the tournament catches its breath ahead of the last weekend. Messi lit up the eve ('Nothing was handed to us'), while London digests the Three Lions' collapse. Saturday at 5pm ET the third-place game France-England in Miami; Sunday at 3pm ET Spain-Argentina for the trophy.

No matches overnight: the World Cup paused to set the stage for the grand finale. The picture is set. In Dallas, Spain knocked out France 2-0: an Oyarzabal first-half penalty, won by Lamine Yamal, and a second-half clincher from Pedro Porro after a one-two with Dani Olmo. In Atlanta, Argentina came from behind to beat England 2-1: Gordon struck on 55', before Enzo Fernandez (85') and Lautaro Martinez (90+2') completed the turnaround, with Messi once again decisive late on. The Cup will be decided in East Rutherford on Sunday.

And it was Messi who owned the eve. 'Nothing was handed to us,' he told the critics muttering about alleged refereeing favours. 'Reaching two consecutive World Cup finals is something very few achieve, and this group did it.' Scaloni struck the same tone: 'This talk of help will always exist; it doesn't bother me. With VAR today it's very difficult to be favoured.' The coach also revealed his staff had been scouting Spain before the semifinal was even played: Argentina's final preparation started long ago.

The mood in the England camp is the opposite. Tuchel refused to despair ('The team gave everything, no regrets: maybe our best match of the tournament') but admitted the flaw: 'We got too passive after we scored, we conceded so many crosses and chances.' The English press showed no mercy, from 'pure football cowardice' in the harshest columns to calls for an immediate sacking, while Ibrahimovic jabbed as a pundit: 'England stopped playing when they scored. Tuchel went too defensive.' The Three Lions have one night to pick themselves up: third place is on the line Saturday.

The last weekend's programme: Saturday July 18, the third-place game France-England at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium (5pm ET), a duel of the two big disappointments. Sunday July 19, the curtain falls: Spain-Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium (3pm ET). European champions Spain chase a second world title after 2010; Messi's Argentina — at 39, perhaps his last World Cup stage — seek a back-to-back triumph no one has managed since Brazil in 1962.

Two more nights, then the curtain. See you tomorrow morning after the third-place game.

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