Didier Deschamps will be in charge of Les Bleus for the last time, while Kylian Mbappé is chasing his personal history.
Published July 17, 2026
France and England will have to bounce back from their disastrous defeat in the World Cup semi-finals ahead of Saturday’s third-place match.
France’s hopes of reaching the World Cup final for the third year in a row were decisively ended with a 2-0 loss to Spain on Tuesday, while England suffered heartbreak the following day when they lost 2-1 to Argentina.
But with both teams physically and mentally exhausted after competing in an expanded 48-team tournament, the traditional bronze medal match may feel like an unwanted mission for players who arrived in North America with dreams of hoisting a trophy.
England coach Thomas Tuchel said: “There is no player, no French player, who doesn’t want to play in this game. They want to play in the final. We gave everything to get to the final.”
However, some players may be more ambitious, with Didier Deschamps last in charge of Les Bleus and Kylian Mbappé pursuing individual history.
Deschamps’ Farewell
The match against Miami brings to an end Deschamps’ 14-year reign, during which he led France to the 2018 World Cup title, the final four years later and three consecutive World Cup semi-finals.
The 57-year-old had hoped to walk away with his second world title as manager, but Saturday will give his players one last chance to send off the man who has established France as one of the most consistent forces in international football over the past decade.
golden boot laces
France are expected to heavily rotate their starting XI to give players who have not played much during the competition a chance, and Tuchel could take a similar approach after his team’s exhausting season.
But there could be one compelling reason for France captain Mbappé to start.
The 27-year-old has scored eight goals this World Cup and 20 in all competitions, putting him in contention for the Golden Boot and within reach of breaking the all-time scoring record.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi currently leads the league with eight goals and four assists (used as a tiebreaker in case of a tie in goals) and holds the all-time record with 21 goals.
With little collective pressure for the third-place match, this match could be Mbappé’s last chance to turn the disappointing end to his France campaign into another breakthrough moment in a career that had already been defined by the World Cup.
England’s Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, on the other hand, have both scored six goals and have a good chance of winning the Golden Boot if they perform well.
Obtaining minutes
England will have to overcome the disappointment of being so close to Sunday’s final, but Tuchel may use the match to give minutes to members of his squad who have spent much of the tournament on the sidelines.
The stakes may be lower than either team would have liked, but it will be a chance for fringe players to make a final impression.
a little more cash
The third-place side will win $2 million more than the fourth-place side ($29 million and $27 million, respectively).
