The World Cup third place match is the one game nobody wants to play. FIFA rebranded it as the Bronze Game, as if the veneer of an Olympic metal would make this consolation match any more palatable to the participants. Let’s face it, both teams are coming into this nothing burger of a fixture knowing that the result doesn’t matter. They’ll still be “losers,” and one of the team will have the dubious honor of being back-to-back losers.
Pride is a powerful driver, though. Nobody wants the double loser tag affixed to them. For players in the transfer market, it’s yet another game to make your case. And there are other factors as well….
Why France Will Play: Mbappé
One name, two words: Kylian Mbappé & Golden Boot. It’s no secret that Mbappé likes honors and awards. He’s openly coveted a Ballon d’Or. And while anything bronze isn’t shiny enough to attract his attention, the Gold of that boot is sparkly enough to capture his lustful look. He’s currently tied with Lionel Messi on total goals scored, eight. But the diminutive one holds the tiebreaker, having registered four assists. This means Kylian must score more than Messi to capture the trophy. They both have one game to make it happen, but France knows that win or lose, their teammate can snatch a laurel from the Argentines. That alone will give them ample fuel.
Why France Will Play: Didier Deschamps
Few individuals have been so closely associated with a national side like Didier Deschamps. As a player, he earned 103 caps and played in one World Cup (winning in 1998), and three Euros (winning in 2000). One of three people to have won a World Cup and subsequently manage a nation to a World Cup win (alongside Mário Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer), he has announced this tournament will be his last in charge of Les Bleus. His fourteen year run was remarkable, with 120 wins, 35 draws and only 29 losses. In that time, France has never lost back-to-back matches (shootout losses count as draws). I don’t expect France to start that here.
Why England Will Play: Tuchel’s Pride
The English gaffer was eviscerated by the press for the way he handled Argentina. Post-match he defended his decisions to hunker down and play defensively, even if to the casual observer the empirical evidence was that it looked like he turned over the momentum to Messi & co. There’s no doubt Tuchel is a good coach, but this match gives him the opportunity to prove his nay-sayers wrong. If the team has his back, they’ll also respond in kind.
Why England Will Play: England’s Pride
No English player is in line for any of the big three awards (Golden Boot, Ball or Glove), but that doesn’t mean they’ll treat this fixture lightly. The long rivalry between France and England is well known, and sure to provide enough kindling for a flame. And while the trophy won’t be “coming home” once again, the team will be hell-bent on avoiding further humiliation, remembering all too well how they capitulated to Belgium in the Russia 2018 tournament and slinked home in fourth.
Match Details
Saturday, July 18
Kickoff at 5pm ET / 2pm PT
Miami Stadium, Florida
