On Saturday, it is the turn of England and France to compete in the Fifa World Cup third-place play-off, officially known by Fifa as the Bronze Final. The match in Miami will see the winners of France v England given bronze medals. Both England manager Thomas Tuchel and his French counterpart, Didier Deschamps, initially conveyed a shared sentiment regarding the fixture.
Managers’ Reluctance and a Player’s View
France head coach Didier Deschamps summed up the mood in his camp before the game when he said: “The best for France and England would be for this match not to exist.” England manager Thomas Tuchel had a similar view after the defeat by Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday night. Tuchel stated: “None of our players and none of the French players want to play this match.” Former France and Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate also expressed a similar sentiment. Konate, who has played 14 minutes for France in the third group game against a heavily-rotated Norway side, said: “Not one of us want to play this game for third place.” He added: “But we don’t have the choice.” Konate is not relishing the prospect of adding to those minutes in Miami.
A Chance for England’s Best World Cup in 60 Years
Despite the initial reservations, Thomas Tuchel adopted a more positive stance when addressing the media on Friday. He highlighted a significant historical incentive for England should they win the match. Tuchel affirmed: “If we win the game tomorrow, we have the best results of a World Cup in 60 years. It’s a perspective to it.” England have competed in the third-place play-off twice since 1966, losing to hosts Italy in 1990 and to Belgium in 2018 in Russia. The third-place play-off has been a consistent fixture, having been played at every Fifa World Cup for the past 72 years. It was first introduced in 1934 and became a regular fixture from 1954.
Opportunities for New Faces
The Bronze Final offers a valuable opportunity for players who have struggled for minutes or are yet to feature at the tournament to have their moment on the pitch. For England, this could mean the introduction of James Trafford to World Cup football. Alternatively, the match could provide Kobbie Mainoo with his first World Cup minutes in an England shirt. The third-place play-off match could give Kobbie Mainoo a first chance of minutes at a World Cup.
The Enduring Role of the Bronze Final
While some figures, like Morocco head coach Walid Regragui, have described the match as a “booby prize,” others have viewed it with considerable importance. Croatia embraced the match in 2022, despite having gone one better in 2018 when they were runners-up to France. Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic, after their 2-1 win over Morocco, said the victory meant a lot to the team and country. Dalic remarked: “We won the bronze medal and it has a golden layer.” He further equated the achievement to winning the ultimate prize, saying: “It is like we have won the gold medal tonight.” Croatia’s match-winner that night, Mislav Orsic, described his goal as the most important of his career. Mislav Orsic scored the winner as Croatia beat Morocco for bronze in 2022. The play-off also caters to fans who have paid for tickets and travel, expecting the teams to put on a show.
Fifa does not publish a long defence of the fixture, but the reasons generally acknowledged around the tournament include its role in deciding who receives the bronze medals and who is officially fourth. It affects the official final standings, historical records, and player statistics. Furthermore, there is a difference in prize money between third and fourth place.
The upcoming match between England and France will be the 103rd of a 104-match tournament, making it part of a record-breaking World Cup for the sheer number of games played.