Is this the game that no player or team wants to be part of? Probably. It is between the two sides who fell one match short of reaching the World Cup final, so that would be unders
The report indicates that is this the game that no player or team wants to be part of? Probably. It is between the two sides who fell one match short of reaching the World Cup final, so that would be understandable.
It further notes that that final is between Spain and Argentina on Sunday, but first, on Saturday, their defeated semi-final opponents, France and England respectively, face off in what FIFA is calling the tournament’s “Bronze final” but to most other people is the third/fourth-place play-off.
There will be some intrigue, though. The Golden Boot, awarded to the tournament’s top scorer, is still up for grabs with Kylian Mbappe of France level on eight goals with Argentina’s Lionel Messi and England pair Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham not far behind on six each.
It will also be a chance to see some of the players in the French and English squads who have not featured much, or at all, in the tournament, plus it can act as a send-off for France manager Didier Deschamps, who steps down after 14 years in charge when their World Cup ends, as well as giving England counterpart Thomas Tuchel the chance to regain some positivity after the agonising nature of that defeat by Argentina.
Here, we take a closer look at this game and where it might be decided…
Round: World Cup third-place play-offWorld rankings: France (FIFA ranking: third) vs England (fourth)Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FloridaDate: Saturday, July 18Kick-off: 2pm PT / 5pm ET / 10pm BST
Until Tuesday, France were regarded by many as the best team at this World Cup. Deschamps’ side breezed through a tricky-looking group, saw off Sweden and Paraguay in the early knockout rounds, then put in a commanding display against Morocco in the quarter-finals.
Everything looked to be in place: Mbappe had eight goals in six games; Bayern Munich playmaker Michael Olise was pulling the strings; Ousmane Dembele was finding the kind of form that won him the 2025 Ballon d’Or. Even the midfield, seen by some as an area of weakness before the tournament, was performing well. And in Deschamps, France had a manager well-versed in negotiating World Cup semi-finals.
Then, against Spain in the semi-final, it all fell apart. The French attack, so potent previously, did not function. William Saliba, their best defender, went off before half-time with a back problem. Left-back Lucas Digne was given the run-around by Lamine Yamal. They were so thoroughly outplayed that the eventual 2-0 scoreline actually flattered them.
Now, they must recalibrate for a match they didn’t expect to be playing in. The only real consolation, if they win, will be finishing on the ‘podium’ for a third consecutive World Cup after lifting the trophy in 2018 and being runners-up four years ago.
In the literal sense, courtesy of an extremely disappointing 2-1 semi-final defeat to Argentina. England led through Anthony Gordon’s second-half goal, but conceded twice late on after Tuchel ceded territory and momentum with a succession of negative substitutions.
Across the tournament as a whole, they finished top of their group, beating Croatia and Panama and drawing with Ghana.
They then came from behind to beat DR Congo 2-1 in the round of 32, with Kane scoring twice, survived a tough examination at altitude at the Azteca, with a Jude Bellingham double and a Kane penalty enough to beat Mexico and qualified for that semi-final by overcoming a 1-0 deficit against Erling Haaland’s Norway, winning 2-1 after extra time.
Tuchel and his assistant Barry during the defeat to ArgentinaJustin Setterfield/Getty Images
