Alan Shearer publicly criticized FIFA, calling its decision to hold a "ridiculous" bronze medal match before England's World Cup third-place game against France.
On Saturday night, the world's attention will be focused on New Jersey as Spain faces Argentina in the World Cup final, while two semi-final losers will battle for third place in Miami. The match kicks off at 10 p.m. UK time, but unsurprisingly, it's drawing little attention as both the Three Lions and the French are still grappling with the disappointment of missing out on the final.
Although the World Cup has featured a bronze medal match since 1934 (renamed the "Bronze Medal Match" this year), calls to abolish it are growing louder. Former England captain Alan Shearer believes the upcoming match will only further damage players' health and is merely a money-making scheme for FIFA.
“Nonsense, garbage, absurd,” the former striker said on The Rest is Football when asked about his opinion on the bronze medal match. “FIFA talks all day about player welfare, hydration breaks, and so on. Both teams lost, and then they’re asked to play a pointless third-place match within three or four days. Do you think player welfare has been considered? Not only that, but the match is in Miami, in the sweltering heat. Talk to me about player welfare? Where is player welfare? What is this match for? There’s only one purpose: to make more money. So, it’s ridiculous.”
"You've heard how the coaches feel, and I'm pretty sure if you ask any player, they'd rather go home now, process the disappointment of the loss, and then go on vacation."
This match will also play a crucial role in the Golden Boot race, with France captain Kylian Mbappé (8 goals, 3 assists) currently trailing Lionel Messi (8 goals, 4 assists), who will lead Argentina to the final. England's star players Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have also scored 6 goals each, making them contenders for the Golden Boot.
“Based on personal experience, this is better than being eliminated in the group stage, but it’s not the kind of game you want to play,” added England legend Gary Lineker, who lost to Italy in the third-place match of the 1990 World Cup. “When you step onto the pitch, your competitive spirit drives you to win no matter what. This kind of performance could be important for Tuchel.”
Reports indicate that after facing heavy criticism for his conservative tactics in the semi-final against Argentina, Tuchel is determined to defeat France and achieve England's best World Cup result since their 1966 victory. However, even the German coach admitted that boosting morale for this match would be difficult, stating before the game: "Neither our players nor the French players wanted to play this game; they wanted to play in the final. We gave everything for it. Everyone plays to win the World Cup, but that's the reality."
