France and England will face off in the third-place match of the 2026 World Cup on Saturday. It will be a sad farewell for both teams. The French and English teams have arrived in Florida with heavy hearts. They will be carrying the same pain in their hearts, the defeat they suffered in the semi-finals. In a way, both teams are wounded.

If one team was the best going into the semi-finals of the competition, it was France. But that team collapsed in the face of Spain's strong strategy and was defeated 2-0. England, on the other hand, suffered another forgettable chapter in the World Cup, losing 2-1 to Argentina, that too with an early lead.

Now, both France and England will have to harness the remaining energy in their players to strengthen themselves mentally and physically. They will have to prepare for a game that is considered one of the most unpopular competitions in world football. After the semi-final defeat, England coach Thomas Tuchel said, ‘I don’t think either of us or the French players will be interested in this game.’

He says, ‘France’s goal was to play in the final. We did everything we could to qualify for the final. Everyone’s goal is to win the World Cup, but not everyone gets that opportunity. We have one less day to prepare for the next game than France. But we will play that game as a professional team.’

Didier Deschamps is taking leave as French coach with this game. Like Tuchel, his tactical decision is now being heavily criticized. Deschamps had already announced that he would leave the French team before the start of this World Cup. He spent 14 long years with the French team. That was successful. 

Under the leadership of this 57-year-old coach, France won the World Cup in 2018 and had to be limited to runners-up in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Now, the team’s journey has been limited to the last four. He said after the semi-final defeat, ‘Now we have to play for third place. We will try to do our best.’

He added, ‘Right now we are not in the position we want. We are disappointed right now. But we have no choice but to accept it. We cannot do anything in this situation.’ 

This third-place match will be a consolation win for both teams. But this match will be equally notable for another reason. That is, the race for the Golden Boot award. French captain Kylian Mbappe is joint top scorer in this World Cup. He is joined by Argentine captain Lionel Messi, who has scored eight goals. Mbappe’s aim will be to break through the English defense and increase his goal tally. England’s Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, who have also scored six goals, are also in the race for the top scorer. 

England's all-time leading goalscorer Kane could be playing his last World Cup. The Bayern Munich forward turns 33 this month. He is doubtful for the 2030 World Cup. He declined to comment on his playing career after the semi-final defeat. "It's too early to talk about it now," he said. "A lot will depend on how we move forward each year. I've been proud of my time with England, I've always been happy. So I don't think it's over yet." Mbappe will also have the chance to become the tournament's top scorer. He has scored 20 goals in total. Messi has scored 21. It will all depend on the players both teams field. England may have to make changes to their squad because the regular players are tired. Coach Tuchel could potentially give Kobe a debut. Deschamps could field N'Golo Kante, who has yet to play in this World Cup.