France head coach Didier Deschamps has admitted that neither his team nor England wanted to play the FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff, but insisted that his players have a responsibility to finish the tournament on a positive note by securing the bronze medal.

France will meet England in Miami on Saturday (local time) after both sides missed out on a place in the World Cup final. France’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive final ended with a 2-0 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals, while England fell to Argentina.

Didier Deschamps says France has a duty to compete

Speaking before the third-place playoff, Deschamps acknowledged the disappointment of falling short of the final but stressed that the match still carries significance. The France coach made it clear that, despite the emotions surrounding the fixture, his team must approach it with professionalism.

“I have a duty for this game. It is not a friendly. It is a third-place playoff. 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,” Deschamps said, as quoted by Reuters.

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France are aiming to finish the tournament with a victory and claim third place before bringing their World Cup campaign to a close.

Deschamps set for final match as France coach

The match against England will also mark the end of Deschamps’ tenure as France head coach.

Ahead of his farewell game, the 57-year-old said his attention remains firmly on helping the team achieve one final objective before stepping away from the role.

“We have to set our eyes on that goal to be third and make this final goal a reality. 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,” he said.

Didier Deschamps
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France coach Didier Deschamps attending a press conference ahead of England match | X [ANI]

Deschamps has guided France through one of the most successful periods in the nation’s football history and now has one final opportunity to finish on a winning note.

Ibrahima Konate wants a winning farewell for Deschamps

France defender Ibrahima Konate admitted the squad would have preferred to be preparing for the World Cup final rather than the third-place playoff. However, he said the players are determined to repay Deschamps for everything he has done during his time with the national team.

“None of us wanted to play for this third place, but we have no choice. We want to pay back our coach,” Konate said.

Konate also spoke about the importance of ending the tournament with a victory. “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,” Konate added in this regard.

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France and England aim to end World Cup on a high

Although the third-place playoff does not carry the same prestige as the World Cup final, both France and England have the chance to conclude their campaigns with a victory.

For France, the match also represents the final chapter of the Didier Deschamps era. With the players determined to send their departing coach off with a win, the battle for third place carries added emotional significance despite the disappointment of missing out on the final.

FAQs

What did Didier Deschamps say before the France vs England playoff?

Deschamps said neither France nor England wanted to play the third-place match but stressed that his team has a duty to compete and win the bronze medal.

Why is the France vs England match special for Didier Deschamps?

The third-place playoff against England will be Didier Deschamps’ final match as France’s head coach.