France coach Didier Deschamps admitted his side does not want to play the FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff against England in Miami but stated it is their duty to win the bronze medal. France’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive FIFA World Cup final ended with a 2-0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 semi-finals.
Addressing the media before the bronze-medal match, the veteran coach made it clear that while both squads would rather be elsewhere, the fixture remains an official competitive match with third place on the line.
“I have a duty for this game. It is not 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.
Didier Deschamps said France’s focus is on securing third place, stressing that wearing the national jersey comes with the responsibility to achieve that goal. He also acknowledged that the match will be his last in charge, adding that while the end is near, life goes on.
“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.
France aims to send the outgoing manager off with a win
The feeling of disappointment was echoed across the French dressing room following their elimination by Spain. France defender Ibrahima Konate admitted the players did not want to play the FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff after their semi-final defeat but said they are determined to give outgoing coach Deschamps a winning farewell by securing the bronze medal.
The Liverpool centre-back underscored that the squad wants to channel their lingering disappointment into a performance that honours their long-serving coach’s final outing at the helm.
“None of us wanted to play for this third place, but we have no choice. We want to pay back our coach,” he said. “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 said.
(With inputs from ANI)
