France and England to Compete for Third Place After World Cup Disappointments

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) – France and England both wished for a different outcome this weekend. Instead of playing in Saturday’s matchup, both had plans for the World Cup final. France aimed for the championship, and England hoped to end its World Cup drought since 1966. Both teams fell short with losses in their semifinals. Argentina will face Spain in the final, leaving England and France to compete for third place.

France defender Ibrahima Konate expressed, “None of us wanted to play in this game for third place. But we don’t have a choice to play. France and England have a big story together. And, yeah, we are looking forward to the game tomorrow, and let’s see what will happen.” While the match offers mainly moral victories, it allows England’s coach, Thomas Tuchel, to regain favor after criticism in their semifinal loss to Argentina.

“Nobody wants to be, tomorrow, in this game,” Tuchel remarked. “All of these four teams wanted to be in New York at the final. But it is an official World Cup game. It’s a chance to have the best result in 60 years for England. Mentality is not something that you switch on and switch off as you like it. It is a moment to show that we are actually made of what we showed through the whole tournament.”

French forward Kylian Mbappé could still secure the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer. He has eight goals, matching Argentina’s Lionel Messi who leads with four assists compared to Mbappé’s three. England’s Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham also have six goals each. France’s coach Didier Deschamps confirmed Mbappé is available for Saturday’s game, but he plans lineup changes. Similarly, Tuchel will adjust England’s lineup.

Deschamps stated, “We do have a match for the third-place playoff, and there’s a duty. We have duties. I have duties, my staff has duties, and so do the players. We have a responsibility to wear this jersey for all the French people who are cheering for us.” This will also be Deschamps’ last match as France’s coach, ending a 14-year tenure. Konate expressed the team’s desire to honor Deschamps with a final win, citing their past successes and challenges.

“He carried many French players,” Konate said. “We had some disappointing moments, but he brought a lot of joy.”

France triumphed in 2018 under Deschamps, but they lost the 2022 final to Argentina and struggled against Spain’s defense in the semifinals. Deschamps has cherished his time with the team, calling it the pinnacle of his career.

For England, reaching the semifinals is a step forward, but closing the gap with France, Argentina, and Spain remains a goal. Tuchel acknowledged, “I think out of the four semifinal teams, the other three teams almost expect to be world champions. We were hoping. We were dreaming. We were pushing and believing. But still, we have to close that gap. And we’re up for that from tomorrow.”

The German coach has tasted success with multiple clubs, yet he faced criticism for England’s tactics against Argentina. Leading 1-0 at 85 minutes, England’s defensive posture allowed Argentina’s Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez to score.

Tuchel stood by his choices, despite widespread questioning. “If it’s easier that someone takes the blame,” Tuchel added, “I take the blame.”