France coach Didier Deschamps has admitted that neither his side nor England wanted to be involved in the FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff, describing the fixture as one both teams would rather avoid after missing out on the final.
France face England in Miami on Saturday with the bronze medal at stake after both nations suffered semi-final defeats. France were beaten 2-0 by Spain, while England’s hopes of ending their 60-year wait for a World Cup final appearance were dashed by a 2-1 loss to defending champions Argentina.
‘England doesn’t want to play, neither do we’
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Deschamps acknowledged the emotional challenge of motivating players for a match that comes immediately after the disappointment of missing the final.
“I have a duty for this game. It is not a friendly. It is a third-place playoff,” Deschamps said, according to Reuters.
“The players, staff, and I have the duty to reach this last objective. It is less important than the final. England does not want to play this game, and neither do we. But here we are.”
Despite his comments, the France manager insisted his side would approach the match professionally, stressing that representing the national team comes with responsibilities regardless of the occasion.
Deschamps prepares for final match in charge
Saturday’s encounter will also mark the end of Deschamps’ tenure as France coach after more than a decade in charge.
The 57-year-old guided France to the FIFA World Cup 2018 title in Russia, reached another World Cup final in Qatar four years later and has now overseen a third-place finish or better at three consecutive tournaments.
Deschamps said his attention remains on ensuring France leave the tournament with a medal before bringing the curtain down on his international coaching career.
“We have to set our eyes on that goal to be third and make this final goal a reality,” he said.
“We have this duty when wearing this jersey. In my head, I know that it is my last match. I don’t want anybody to cry. The end is near, but life goes on.”
Konate: ‘None of us wanted to play’
France defender Ibrahima Konaté echoed his manager’s sentiments, admitting the squad were still processing the disappointment of their semi-final exit.
However, he said the players were determined to send Deschamps off with a victory.
“None of us wanted to play for this third place, but we have no choice,” Konaté said, according to Reuters.
“We want to pay back our coach. He did so much for the France team. We must be grateful to him for that, and we need to do everything we can to win this game… to get this chocolate medal, this bronze medal.”
Final chance before attention turns to the final
Although the third-place playoff often struggles to generate the same attention as the World Cup final, France and England will both be aiming to finish their campaigns on a winning note before Argentina face Spain in Sunday’s title decider.
For France, victory would also provide a fitting farewell to one of the most successful managers in the country’s football history, while England will hope to end another near-miss at a major tournament with a podium finish.
