France, England prepare for gloomy World Cup send-off

France and England will bid a gloomy farewell to the World Cup on Saturday when they face each other in the dreaded third-place play-off in Miami.

Both teams head to Florida still raw from semi-final defeats that have left both footballing nations licking wounds, which, in the eyes of many, were largely self-inflicted.

France, the tournament’s outstanding team en route to the last four, were anonymous in the face of a tactical masterclass by Spain on Tuesday and slumped to a 2-0 defeat.

England added another chapter to their long history of World Cup heartache on Wednesday when they surrendered the initiative and a lead to lose 2-1 to Argentina in Atlanta.

France and England must now attempt to summon the remnants of their competitive will and physical reserves for a game that is widely disliked throughout football.

“None of our players and none of the French players want to play this match,” England manager Thomas Tuchel said after his team’s agonising semi-final defeat.

“They want to play the final. We gave everything to achieve that. Everyone plays to win the World Cup, but that’s how it is.

“We have one less day of recovery than France, but we will do it with professionalism.”

Sad footnote for Deschamps

The match will mark a sad footnote to Didier Deschamps’ long reign as France coach.

Deschamps, who, like Tuchel, has faced stinging criticism for the tactical decisions that marked his team’s semi-final defeat, is stepping down as manager after the tournament.

The 57-year-old’s departure ends a successful 14-year spell in charge that included a World Cup triumph in 2018, defeat in the final in Qatar in 2022 and a run to the last four in the current tournament.

“There’s a third-place finish to play for, so we’ll do everything we can to get it,” Deschamps said after France’s semi-final loss.

“We’re not where we wanted or expected to be. The disappointment matches our ambitions, but we have to accept it. We have no other choice.”

Yet while it will be scant consolation, the game might well prove pivotal for the World Cup’s Golden Boot race.

France captain Kylian Mbappe is joint top scorer for the tournament alongside Argentina skipper Lionel Messi on eight goals, and will be looking to add to his tally against an unsettled English defence.

England’s Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham — who are on six goals apiece — could also enter the running with a big performance at the Hard Rock Stadium.

Last dance for Kane?

For England’s all-time record goalscorer Kane, the game may also mark the final World Cup appearance of his career.

The Bayern Munich forward turns 33 this month and it is questionable whether he will be around for the 2030 finals.

Kane declined to speculate on his international future following Wednesday’s defeat.

“It’s too early to talk about that,” Kane told reporters.

“I’m taking it year by year and the national team is my pride and joy. It’s what I love to do more than anything…. I never want to put a limit on these things.”

The match is also an opportunity for Mbappe to move into top spot in the all-time World Cup scoring charts. The Real Madrid striker is currently on 20 goals, one behind Messi on 21.

Much may depend on the strength of the lineups fielded by both teams.

Tuchel is expected to rotate his starting side heavily after what has been a gruelling campaign.

An energy-sapping last-16 trip to the thin air of Mexico City and the Estadio Azteca was followed by a brutally hot quarter-final win over Norway in Miami before the shattering defeat to Argentina.

Tuchel is likely to give game time to players who have been on the fringes throughout the campaign, most likely meaning a World Cup debut for Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo and possibly a start for Kane’s understudy as striker, Ollie Watkins.

Deschamps may be tempted to field veteran midfielder N’Golo Kante, one of the heroes of Les Bleus’ 2018 World Cup win, who has not seen a minute of action in the United States.