England will be hoping to end a 60-year wait for a FIFA World Cup medal when they take on France in Saturday’s third-place play-off.
The Three Lions saw their dream of reaching a first World Cup final since 1966 slip away after suffering a dramatic 2-1 defeat to Argentina in Wednesday’s semi-final in Atlanta. Anthony Gordon had given Thomas Tuchel’s side the lead before Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez completed a late comeback for the defending champions.
Although their title hopes have ended, England now have the opportunity to secure the bronze medal and finish on the World Cup podium for the first time since lifting the trophy on home soil in 1966.
Standing in their way are France, who also enter the match looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2-0 defeat to European champions Spain in the other semi-final.
Ahead of the encounter in Miami, Tuchel admitted the painful loss to Argentina had left emotional scars on his squad but insisted they were determined to respond positively.
The England manager has faced criticism for his tactical decisions during the semi-final, particularly his substitutions after England took the lead.
Reflecting on those choices, Tuchel accepted responsibility but defended the difficult nature of making decisions during high-pressure matches.
“I tried to help the team and made decisions based on my instinct, experience and desire to win,” he said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result, so I take full responsibility. These decisions are made in the heat of the moment.”
The former Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain coach acknowledged that the defeat remains painful for both himself and his players.
“We are the ones carrying this pain. It’s our scar and we have to live with it. More than anyone else, we feel the disappointment because we were so close,” Tuchel said.
He also admitted England still have work to do to match the consistency and winning culture of football’s elite nations.
“Argentina, Spain and France have built successful national teams over many years, and that experience gives them an edge. There’s still a small gap that we need to close if we want to compete regularly for major trophies.”
Despite the setback, Tuchel expressed confidence that England would use the disappointment as motivation.
“We will recover, learn from this experience and respond. That process begins with this match. We know where we need to improve, and our focus is on taking the next step.”
Meanwhile, defending champions Argentina will face European champions Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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