France and England face off this Saturday at 23pm at Miami Stadium for third place in the 2026 World Cup. Having been beaten by Spain and Argentina respectively in the semi-finals, Les Bleus and the Three Lions must play a final match that neither group wanted. Didier Deschamps However, he refuses to let his team finish the competition without any support. For his final match in charge of the French national team, the coach wants to leave Les Bleus with a victory and a bronze medal.
A third-place match after two huge disappointments
This France-England match will pit two teams against each other who, just days before, saw themselves as world champions. The French were aiming for a third consecutive final after their title win in 2018 and their runner-up finish in 2022. The English, for their part, were hoping to reach a World Cup final 60 years after their only victory in 1966.
The two teams will now meet to determine third and fourth place in the tournament. France previously won this classification match in 1958 and 1986. They also finished fourth in 1982. A victory in Miami would therefore give them a seventh medal in World Cup history, after two titles, two second places, and two bronze medals.
France dominated by Spain
France's journey ended Tuesday night against Spain At Arlington, Didier Deschamps' team suffered a 2-0 defeat after enduring Spain's technical mastery and possession for much of the match. La Roja opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. After a poor touch by Lucas Digne, Lamine Yamal entered the box and won a penalty. Mike Maignan guessed correctly, but Mikel Oyarzabal placed his shot beyond the reach of the French goalkeeper. France then lost William Saliba to injury in the 28th minute. Les Bleus went into the break without having truly troubled Unai Simon. Pedro Porro doubled Spain's lead in the 58th minute after a combination with Dani Olmo. Kylian Mbappé, Désiré Doué, and Ousmane Dembélé had several chances late in the game, but were unable to reduce the deficit.
Didier Deschamps acknowledged Spain's superiority after the match. "There's a lot of disappointment. The players are devastated. We had high ambitions. Today, we were a step below against a team that knew what they were doing. It's primarily our fault."the coach had declared.
England overturned in the final minutes
England's elimination was even more brutal. On Wednesday in Atlanta, England were leading 1-0 against Argentina with five minutes of regulation time remaining. Anthony Gordon had opened the scoring in the 55th minute, converting a cross from Morgan Rogers. After this goal, England sat back and allowed Argentina to establish themselves in front of their penalty area. Enzo Fernandez equalized in the 85th minute with a 20-meter strike, assisted by Lionel MessiLautaro Martinez then secured qualification for the reigning world champions in the 92nd minute, heading home another Messi cross. England, who looked close to reaching their first final since 1966, were thus eliminated 2-1 after conceding two goals in the final minutes. Harry Kane admitted that his team had focused too much on protecting their lead instead of continuing to attack.Reuters)
Players already looking ahead to their holidays
Motivation is now the main challenge for both coaches. Thomas Tuchel admitted that the English would have preferred to play in the final. Didier Deschamps made the same statement regarding the French. "This isn't a friendly. It's a third-place match. The players, the staff, and I have a duty to achieve this final objective. It's less important than the final. England doesn't want to play this match, and neither do we. But we're here.""The French coach said this on Friday in Miami."
The French team's demoralization was also evident upon their arrival in Florida. The players asked Didier Deschamps for permission to go out Thursday evening in Miami. They had offered to return to their hotel before midnight, after more than a month and a half of living together and two days after their elimination against Spain. The coach refused They ask him despite their insistence. He demands that his group remain focused until the final whistle.
Didier Deschamps' last match
This third-place match will be Didier Deschamps' last game as manager of the French national team. In charge since 2012, the manager will step down after 14 years, a World Cup title won in 2018, a Nations League victory in 2021, and three finals appearances in major tournaments. "In my mind, I know this is my last match. I don't want to see anyone cry. The end is near, but life goes on.", said Didier Deschamps before the match.
Ibrahima Konaté assured that the players wanted to offer him one last victory. “None of us wanted to play for third place, but we have no choice. We want to give something back to our coach. He has done so much for the French team. We have to do everything we can to win this match and get that ‘chocolate medal,’ that bronze medal.”the defender explained.
A largely revamped French team
Didier Deschamps has announced several changes to his starting eleven. Some players are injured, others are unavailable, or have accumulated significant fatigue since the start of the tournament. William Saliba, who was substituted against Spain, remains doubtful. Kylian Mbappé is fit, but the coach has not confirmed he will start. The French captain has eight goals in this World Cup, the same number as Lionel Messi, and remains in contention to finish as the tournament's top scorer. Less frequently used players such as Brice Samba, Malo Gusto, Castello Lukeba, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Rayan Cherki, Maghnes Akliouche, and Jean-Philippe Mateta could get some playing time.
France and England will therefore approach this final encounter with fatigued players, altered lineups, and the disappointment of having missed out on the final. Didier Deschamps, however, has laid out the French team's objective: to beat England, secure third place, and end his 14-year tenure as manager with a victory.
