France and England are preparing to face off in the World Cup third-place match in Florida, a fixture that both squads enter still reeling from semi-final defeats. For many observers, these losses were largely self-inflicted. France, previously considered the tournament's outstanding side, suffered a 2-0 defeat to Spain on Tuesday after being neutralized by a tactical masterclass. England’s campaign saw a similarly painful conclusion on Wednesday in Atlanta, where they surrendered both the initiative and a lead to lose 2-1 to Argentina.
Both managers have voiced strong opposition to the match. England manager Thomas Tuchel noted that his players, who had given everything to reach the final, have no desire to play for the consolation prize. Tuchel acknowledged the disadvantage of having one less day of recovery compared to France but emphasized that his team will approach the game with professionalism. France coach Didier Deschamps echoed these sentiments, stating that the best outcome for both nations would be for the match not to exist. This game will mark the final appearance for the 57-year-old Deschamps as head coach of Les Bleus, concluding a 14-year tenure that included winning the 2018 World Cup.
Kylian Mbappe, who is currently tied with Lionel Messi with eight goals in the Golden Boot competition, expressed his frustration over France’s failure to reach the final, taking full responsibility as captain. Mbappe, who also scored eight goals in 2022, currently sits at 20 career World Cup goals, one behind Messi’s record. Other players competing for the Golden Boot include England’s Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, who have each scored six goals, and France’s Ousmane Dembele with five.
The confirmed lineups for the match are as follows. France: Brice Samba; Malo Gusto, Ibrahima Konaté, Maxence Lacroix, Theo Hernández, N'Golo Kanté, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Désiré Doué, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé. England: Jordan Pickford, Djed Spence, John Stones, Marc Guéhi, Nico O'Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane.
