England concluded their World Cup campaign with a dramatic 6-4 victory over France in the third-place playoff. The match saw an unusual first-half performance from the French side, with manager Didier Deschamps describing their play as "catastrophic" as they fell behind 4-0 before halftime. England's win marks their second-best result in World Cup history. Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick in the high-scoring contest.
Final Preparations Affected by Weather
Meanwhile, preparations for the World Cup final were impacted by severe thunderstorms in New York. Spain's scheduled training session at Red Bull's facility was postponed and eventually canceled due to the weather, following the United States Storm Safety Protocol. The Spanish national team conducted an indoor activation session instead. Argentina also trained indoors due to the adverse conditions, though they were later able to train on the grass outdoors.
Looking Ahead to the Final
The final is set to feature Lionel Messi and a potential heir, Lamine Yamal, who has been described as having a similar trajectory to Messi at Barcelona. This match could mark Messi's last World Cup appearance, with the Argentine star aiming to secure another title. The game is also notable for the planned half-time show, which is expected to be an extended entertainment segment, potentially doubling the standard halftime duration. Performers include Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, and BTS, among others. A pre-game closing ceremony is also scheduled.
Notable Moments and Figures
During the third-place playoff, an image of France's Rayan Cherki lying casually on the ground during a hydration break drew attention. In a show of sportsmanship, England's Harry Kane and Jordan Henderson were noted for beckoning training goalkeeper Jason Steele, who was not an official squad member, to join them in receiving his bronze medal.
Kylian Mbappe's second goal in the match against England saw him surpass Lionel Messi as the World Cup's all-time top scorer, accumulating 22 goals in 22 matches. Mbappe also extended his lead over Messi in the race for the Golden Boot in this tournament.
Event and Presentation Considerations
In a separate event, pop star Justin Bieber was seen playing table tennis with tennis player Novak Djokovic at Fanatics Fest in New York. New York Knicks stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart also attended the event, parading the NBA Championship trophy.
US President Donald Trump is expected to present the World Cup trophy to the winning team, marking his first match attendance at the tournament. His past involvement in a trophy presentation at the Club World Cup generated notable attention.
The third-place playoff's first-half scoreline of 4-0 in favor of England mirrored the halftime score of the same playoff match in the 1994 World Cup when the United States last hosted, which saw Sweden leading Bulgaria 4-0. For France, conceding four first-half goals was their first occurrence since 1968.