The inclusion of a third-place playoff match in the World Cup has sparked bewilderment and criticism among some American soccer fans, who expressed their surprise upon learning of the game's existence.
The match, scheduled to take place in Miami between France and England, features the two teams that lost their respective semifinal matches. The winner will receive a bronze medal and an additional $2 million in prize money.
Social media commentary, led by figures like Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, highlighted the sentiment. Portnoy shared his disbelief on X, calling the game "loser bulls***" and "the most demoralizing game of all time." Other fans echoed this sentiment, describing it as the "at least you tried" championship or the "Who Cares" bowl. Some suggested that such a game would not be accepted by American sports culture, where a "gold or nothing" mentality prevails.
Fans also speculated that FIFA might be motivated by financial incentives, such as additional advertising revenue and ticket sales, to maintain the third-place playoff. "FIFA is milking all the money they can get from the tournament," one post read.
England's semifinal loss to Argentina occurred after they conceded a late lead, with goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, both assisted by Lionel Messi, securing Argentina's spot in the final. England captain Harry Kane expressed his disappointment, stating, "I'm gutted for the boys... We played a good game for the large majority of it. Once we went 1-0 up we seemed to just try and hold on which at this level is just not enough."
France was defeated by Spain in their semifinal. Star striker Kylian Mbappe commented on his team's performance and tactics, noting, "We didn't play the game we wanted, technically, tactically. When you don't do what you have to do in a World Cup semifinal, you don't win."
The third-place playoff is set to kick off at 5 p.m. local time on Saturday, while the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will be played on Sunday at 3 p.m. at MetLife Stadium.