TUCHEL SAYS ENGLAND PLAYERS LACK MOTIVATION FOR THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF

Thomas Tuchel stated that England's players have no desire to compete in the third-place play-off against France, scheduled for three days after England's semi-final defeat to Argentina. Tuchel told reporters that neither England nor France's squads wanted to participate in the match. He said players aim to win the World Cup rather than compete for third place.

The third-place play-off has long been regarded as an undesirable fixture in major tournaments. The match is sometimes referred to as the "Bronze Final" in an attempt to generate interest. In 2019, England's then head coach Eddie Jones mocked the fixture when discussing Wales's participation in the rugby union World Cup's third-place match, telling journalists to send Wales coach Warren Gatland his best wishes for the "third-fourth play-off". Wales subsequently lost that rugby match to New Zealand by 23 points.

Tuchel's comments reflect a wider perception that the third-place play-off holds little significance for players and broadcasters compared to the final. The fixture remains part of World Cup formats in both football and rugby union, despite its limited appeal to competing teams. England will face France in the upcoming match, with both sides having lost their respective semi-final contests.