England and France will meet in the World Cup consolation match on July 18 at Hard Rock Stadium, a game neither team wanted to play.
The match will determine the third-place finisher, with the winner earning a modest consolation prize after both teams fell short of their goal of reaching the final.
French coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged the lack of enthusiasm for the match, saying "The English team doesn't want to play, we do not either."
This sentiment is understandable, given that both teams had higher aspirations for the tournament.
The consolation match has been criticized for its lack of purpose, with some arguing that it serves no real function other than to provide an additional revenue stream for FIFA.
Former Dutch coach Louis van Gaal has spoken out against the match, pointing out that one team will go home having lost twice in a row despite playing well overall.
For France, the match will also mark the end of an era, as coach Didier Deschamps will step down after the game, to be replaced by Zinedine Zidane.
Deschamps has spent over 15 years with the French national team, either as a player or coach, and has won the World Cup in both capacities.
Despite the lack of enthusiasm for the match, there are still individual honors at stake, including the Golden Boot award for the tournament's top scorer.
France's Kylian Mbappe and Argentina's Lionel Messi are currently tied for the lead with eight goals each, while England's Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have scored six times apiece.
Deschamps has indicated that he will use the match to give playing time to some of the lesser-used members of his squad, saying "Yes, I will substitute some players."
He also confirmed that Mbappe is available to play, although it's unclear whether he will start or come off the bench.
The match will be played on July 18, with the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina taking place the following day at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
For both England and France, the goal will be to put aside their disappointment and finish the tournament on a positive note.
Deschamps urged his team to approach the match with a sense of duty and responsibility, saying "Let's not complain, how many teams did go back home?
Forty-four before the semifinals, we didn't play the match that we were hoping to play, but we do have a match for the third-place playoff, and there's a duty."
The English team will likely take a similar approach, trying to convince themselves to play with collective honor and earn a victory in their final match of the tournament.
As Deschamps prepares to bid farewell to his coaching role with the French national team, he remains positive about the future, saying "I don't want anybody to cry and I don't think anybody here will cry."
He added, "I know that the French national team will be missed, but I had the privilege for over 15 years to be there, to wear this jersey and to go through amazing moments and to go also through some more difficult moments."
The stage is set for a intriguing matchup between two of the world's top teams, even if it's not the match either team had hoped to play.
The question now is which team will be able to put aside their disappointment and come out on top.
Source: Yahoo Sports
