England and France to Contest Bronze Medal: 'Nobody Wants to Be Here,' Say Players
Fans and players have expressed disappointment that the World Cup bronze match between France and England should have been the final. Both teams lost in the semifinals and now face off for third place.
Many football fans around the world have dubbed the upcoming World Cup bronze match between France and England as 'the game nobody wanted'. Social media has been flooded with ironic posts and memes, including a clip from the animated film 'Minions' that humorously captures the sentiment.
France defender Ibrahima Konaté admitted during a press conference: 'None of us wanted to play this game for third place. We have no choice – we have to play it.'
England coach Thomas Tuchel echoed this: 'Nobody wants to be in this game. All four teams wanted to be in New York for the final. But this is an official World Cup match.' He stressed that it is an opportunity to show character and that England still needs to close the gap with the world's top football nations.
The match carries extra significance for France as it will be Didier Deschamps' last game in charge after nearly 15 years, during which he led the team to the 2018 World Cup title and the 2022 final. Konaté said the players want to win for the coach, while Deschamps himself called his tenure the most important period of his career.
France striker Kylian Mbappé still has a chance to win the Golden Boot for the tournament's top scorer. He has eight goals, level with Argentina's Lionel Messi, but Messi leads on assists (four to three). England's Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have six goals each.
The match will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, starting at midnight Latvian time. It will be broadcast on TV6 and the 'Go3' platform. The final on Sunday will feature Argentina against Spain. This is the first World Cup with 48 teams, hosted across Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
