France vs England: Why FIFA World Cup third-place playoffs carries importance ahead of Spain vs Argentina summit clash?
Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are tied on eight goals and have a chance to take the Golden Boot home. While Mbappe's France take on England in a third-place playoffs game, Messi's Argentina face Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
France will take on England in the penultimate match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Sunday. Having lost to Spain and Argentina in the semifinals, the third and fourth placed sides in the FIFA Rankings will take the field one last time in a third-place playoffs clash in this year's tournament, with an aim towards a bronze medal which neither France nor England want.
Officially known as a 'Bronze Final' by the FIFA, the third-placed tie has been constant feature in the World Cup since 1934, baring the 1950 edition. The winners of the clash will receive bronze medals.
In this edition, the winning side will take home USD 29 million (approx ₹279 crore) in prize money, which is USD 2 million (approx ₹19 crore) more than what the fourth-placed side will get, along with FIFA Ranking points.
But there is more significance to this match.
Effect on Golden Boot race
Both France's Kylian Mbappe and Argentina's Lionel Messi are in race for the Golden Boot - given to the player with most number of goals in a single edition. While both Mbappe and Messi are on eight goals each, the Argentine captain is atop the standings owing of his superior number of assists. Messi has four as compared to Mbappe's three.
It must be noted that Mbappe had pipped Messi by a solitary goal to win the Golden Boot in the 2022 edition in Qatar. The Frenchman can still win it for the second consecutive time provided Mbappe score against England and Messi fail to net a single goal in the final against Spain. If both score, it would be interesting to who takes the coveted prize home.
If both Messi and Mbappe end on same number of goals, then the player with most assists will go on to win the Golden Boot. In case the number of assists are also on level, then the Golden Boot will be presented to the player who have achieved their goals and assists in least number of minutes.
But it's just not about Mbappe and Messi only. England duo of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane are also in line for the Golden Boot. Both Bellingham and Kane are on six goals each and a hattrick will race them atop the standings, provided Messi and Mbappe don't score. Kane won the 2018 Golden Boot with six goals.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot Race
| Rank | Player | Goals | Assists | Minutes |
| 1 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) | 8 | 4 | 712 |
| 2 | Kylian Mbappé (France) | 8 | 3 | 666 |
| 3 | Erling Haaland (Norway) | 7 | 0 | 537 |
| 4 | Jude Bellingham (England) | 6 | 1 | 679 |
| 5 | Harry Kane (England) | 6 | 1 | 732 |
| 6 | Ousmane Dembele (France) | 5 | 2 | 595 |
| 7 | Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) | 5 | 1 | 599 |
| 8 | Ismaila Sarr (Senegal) | 4 | 1 | 419 |
| 9 | Julian Quinones (Mexico) | 4 | 1 | 440 |
| 10 | Vinicius Junior (Brazil) | 4 | 1 | 506 |
Frustrations ahead of third-place match
Playing your final World Cup match one day prior to the championship game is not the assignment anybody desires. But it's the reality for France and England. "None of our players, and none of the French players, wants to play the third- place match," England coach Thomas Tuchel said. "They want to play the final. We gave everything to achieve it."
England missed out on the title match after allowing two late goals to Argentina to fall 2-1 on Wednesday in the semifinals. One day earlier, France came up short when largely outplayed in a 2-0 loss to Spain.
France coach Didier Deschamps isn't the least bit thrilled about competing for the consolation prize. "The best thing for France and England would be for this match not to exist," Deschamps said.
Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.
About the Author
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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