England secure third place
England defeated France 6-4 in a high-scoring World Cup third-place playoff match held in Miami. Both teams had aimed for the final, with France losing to Spain and England experiencing a late collapse against Argentina in their respective semi-final matches.
The match saw both coaches make significant changes to their starting lineups. England manager Thomas Tuchel opted to rest key players like Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. Similarly, France’s coach Didier Deschamps, in his final game after 14 years at the helm, did not start Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele.
England took an early lead when Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice scored from distance in the third minute. Ezri Konsa then added a second goal with a header, putting England 2-0 up. The game was played in oppressive heat, a factor that may have influenced player performance.
First half dominance and French comeback
England extended their lead further when Bukayo Saka scored after a quick break, making it 3-0. Saka then netted his second goal in first-half stoppage time, bringing the score to 4-0 before the break. France’s first-half performance was described as “catastrophic” by coach Deschamps, who urged his team to show more pride.
Deschamps made four changes at halftime, introducing Dembele, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Digne, and Barcola. This tactical shift quickly paid off as Kylian Mbappe scored his ninth goal of the tournament, surpassing Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot standings. Barcola then added another goal for France, narrowing England’s lead.
Mbappe scored his second of the match, making him the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with 22 goals. This also put him two goals ahead of Messi in the race for the 2026 tournament’s top scorer award. Despite France’s resurgence, they missed several opportunities to equalise.
Late drama and individual milestones
England were awarded a penalty when Malo Gusto fouled Djed Spence in the penalty area. Saka converted the spot-kick, completing his hat-trick. Dembele managed to score a fourth goal for France, but Bellingham then scored England’s tenth goal of the match with an individual effort.
Bellingham’s goal marked his seventh goal in a World Cup, making him the first England player to achieve this feat. For England, securing third place represents their best World Cup finish since winning the tournament in 1966. However, the team will still reflect on their semi-final defeat to Argentina.
The third-place playoff, often referred to as the ‘Bronze Final’, is a match that players and coaches alike expressed reluctance to play. France defender Ibrahima Konaté stated that none of the players wanted to participate, but acknowledged they had no choice. England’s manager Tuchel echoed this sentiment, highlighting that all four semi-finalist teams had aimed for the final in New York.
Despite the lack of enthusiasm for the match itself, there were motivations for both sides. For England, it was an opportunity to achieve their best World Cup result in 60 years. For France, it was a chance to give Deschamps a winning farewell in his final game as national team coach. Deschamps had previously led France to World Cup glory in 2018 and was a runner-up four years ago.
The match also held significance for Mbappe in his pursuit of the Golden Boot. The three-time champions Argentina are set to face European champions Spain in the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Monday.
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Source: rnz.co.nz
