As England and France prepare to face off tomorrow, the match isn’t quite the World Cup climax either team envisioned.
Following their losses in the semi-finals to Argentina and Spain, the teams will battle it out for third place at Miami Stadium, with an early kickoff set for 7am on Sunday (AEST).
“Neither our players nor the French squad are interested in this match,” admitted England’s coach Thomas Tuchel.
Kieran Jackson, a senior sports writer for The Independent, has criticized the necessity of the fixture, urging FIFA to discontinue what he deemed a “pointless” game, often seen merely as a consolation.
Although they won’t be competing in the final — which takes place Monday morning — both teams still have something to prove.
The Golden Boot race
For one, the Golden Boot is still up for grabs. The trophy is awarded to the player who scored the most goals in the tournament, with assists used as a tiebreaker.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi currently leads the race with eight goals and four assists, while France’s Kylian Mbappé is level on goals but trails with three assists.
England’s Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are also in contention, with six goals and one assist each.
While either player would need a remarkable hat-trick to overtake the front-runners, presuming they don’t score, the chance to finish as the tournament’s top scorer could provide extra motivation for the forwards to go on the attack.
A farewell for Deschamps
The match will be Didier Deschamps’ final game as France coach after 14 years in charge.
His tenure has included his side winning a World Cup title in 2018, a runner-up finish in 2022 and three consecutive semi-final appearances.
The match gives his players one final opportunity to send off the man who transformed France into one of international football’s most consistent teams.
“We aren’t headed to the match we were hoping for, but we still have a match to play and we have a duty to fulfil,” Deschamps said ahead of the third-place playoff.
“When you wear the France shirt, it’s not just about what you get, it’s also about giving back. It’s the standard I set for myself, for my staff and for the players too. We have a responsibility towards every France fan who has followed us and shared in our ups and downs.”
England’s best finish in 60 years
For England, victory would secure their best World Cup finish since winning the tournament for the first and only time in 1966.
Since then, they have lost both of their previous third-place playoffs — against Italy in 1990 and Belgium in 2018.
France have enjoyed far greater recent success, winning the 2018 World Cup before finishing runners-up in 2022.
Chance for fringe players
After a gruelling five-week tournament, both teams could use the match as an opportunity to rotate their squads and rest key players.
That could provide valuable World Cup experience for players who have spent much of the campaign on the bench.
English midfielder Kobbie Mainoo is yet to play a minute of the tournament, but the 21-year-old could make his debut if Declan Rice — who has been battling illness — is rested.
Other English players, including Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney, have only played a few minutes each and may be eager to get in on the action.
France’s 2018 champion N’Golo Kanté is also yet to take to the field. At 35, this could be his final chance to appear in a World Cup.
The prize money
The winner will also take home more prize money.
The third-placed team will be awarded US $29 million ($41.5 million), compared to the fourth-placed team’s US $27 million ($38.7 million).
You can watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ live, free and exclusive on SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.