France and England are preparing to face each other in Florida for the tournament's third-place match, a fixture that both squads enter following demoralizing semi-final defeats. France, who were considered a top contender, fell 2-0 to Spain after a tactical masterclass, while England suffered a 2-1 loss to Argentina in Atlanta after surrendering an early lead.
The upcoming match has drawn criticism from both sides, as the teams struggle to find motivation after missing out on the final. England manager Thomas Tuchel noted the difficulty of the situation, stating that none of the players from either nation want to participate in the game. He added that while his team has one day less to recover than France, they will approach the match with professionalism. France coach Didier Deschamps echoed these sentiments, suggesting it would be better if the match did not exist at all.
For the 57-year-old Deschamps, this will be his final game as head coach of Les Bleus, marking the end of a 14-year tenure that included winning the 2018 World Cup. Reflecting on his departure, Deschamps noted that he does not want anyone to cry, emphasizing that while his time with the team is reaching its end, life continues. France captain Kylian Mbappe is currently tied with Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot with eight goals, though his focus remains on the disappointment of missing the final. Mbappe, who has 20 career World Cup goals, took full responsibility for his team's exit. Other Golden Boot contenders appearing in the match include England's Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham with six goals each, and France's Ousmane Dembele with five.
The confirmed starting lineups for the match are as follows: For France, Brice Samba, Malo Gusto, Ibrahima Konaté, Maxence Lacroix, Theo Hernández, N'Golo Kanté, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Désiré Doué, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembélé, and Kylian Mbappé. For England, Jordan Pickford, Djed Spence, John Stones, Marc Guéhi, Nico O'Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, and Harry Kane.
