European giants England and France will face each other at the Al Bayt Stadium in the FIFA World Cup 2022 quarterfinals on Saturday night. The game will start at 12:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).

Gareth Southgate’s England has, so far, been unbeaten in the World Cup. It advanced to the quarterfinals as the Group B topper after it beat Iran and Wales and played out a draw against the USA. In the round of 16 clashes, England thrashed Senegal 3-0 to advance to the last eight. Thus far, England has conceded only two goals.

France, meanwhile, lost to Tunisia but beat Australia and Denmark to advance to the round of 16, where it beat Poland 3-1, with Kylian Mbappe finding the back of the net twice. En route to the quarterfinal, Didier Deschamps’ team conceded three goals, one of which came in the 0-1 defeat to Tunisia.

Familiar foes England and France have met 31 times across all competitions. The Three Lions hold an edge over the defending champion, winning 17 matches against France’s nine, while the remaining five ended in draws.

Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio will be in charge of the proceedings tonight.

Who is Sampaio?

Sampaio is a 40-year-old referee. He has experience officiating Brazil Serie A, international friendlies, and FIFA World Cup matches.

It is his second successive World Cup. In Russia in 2018, he received plaudits for his correct VAR calls. In this World Cup, too, he has been accurate with the VAR calls.

A CONMEBOL referee, Sampaio has been listed on the FIFA referee panel since 2013. He was adjudged one of the best referees in Brazil in 2012.

Sampaio oversees the matches with authority. He does not mind booking players if the flow of the game gets interrupted frequently. In the 2021 Copa Libertadores, officiating three games, he produced 14 yellow cards and one red card.