IBRAHIMA KONATE BRANDS THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF AGAINST ENGLAND 'THE GAME NO ONE WANTS TO PLAY'

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Ibrahima Konate has admitted Saturday night's third-place play-off between France and England is the game 'no one wants to play'. 

The two nations will go head-to-head at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium at 8pm tomorrow after losing their respective semi-finals. 

France, many people's favourites for the tournament, crashed out on Tuesday after losing 2-0 to the efficient Spain, before England agonisingly let a lead slip to lose 2-1 to Argentina in Atlanta. 

And, speaking at a pre-match conference today, Konate didn't mince his words while previewing the clash with the Three Lions.

The ex-Liverpool centre-back said: 'I think England is a very good team, to be fair, and has had a very good game against Argentina as well. 

'Not one of us wanted to play this game for third place but we don't have a choice to play, you know. 

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"Not one of us want to play this game for third place, but we don't have the choice." France's Ibrahima Konate on facing England in the World Cup third-place play-off match on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/jQPB7JD38s— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) July 17, 2026

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'France and England have a big story together. We are looking forward to the game tomorrow and let's see what happens.'

The match will see the two nations face each other four years after France beat England 2-1 in Qatar to crush the Three Lions' hopes at the quarter-finals stage. 

The French went on to reach the final of that tournament but were ultimately beaten by a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina. 

Tomorrow will also bring the curtain down on Didier Deschamps' reign as France manager after 14 years in charge. 

The ex-midfielder will leave after guiding his country to a World Cup triumph in 2018, making him one of only three people ever to win the trophy both as a player and a manager. 

Speaking after France's loss to Spain, Deschamps said: 'It is not important on a personal level whether I leave a competition in a semi-final or final. 

'I am extremely happy. I am very proud of everything we've done to reach this stage and to win a World Cup - to take the French team to the highest level.

'I have been lucky as a player. I have enjoyed happy moments. Today is not such a moment. We must accept it without forgetting everything we experienced.'

For England, the play-off represents an opportunity to secure the country's best World Cup finish in six decades. 

Eight years ago, after losing to Croatia in the semi-final, Harry Kane and Co slumped to a 2-0 defeat to Belgium, and the game in Florida represents a chance to go one further. 

Thomas Tuchel, however, seemed far less excited about the prospect of another match while speaking to reporters after the defeat to Argentina.

Echoing the words of Konate, the German said: 'None of our players and none of the French players want to play this match. 

'They want to play the final. We gave everything to achieve that. Everyone plays to win the World Cup, but that's how it is. We have one less day of recovery than France, but we will do it with professionalism.' 

The England manager has been criticised in the wake of the semi-final for his decision to bring on Dan Burn, Nicol O'Reilly and Ezri Konsa after Anthony Gordon gave the Three Lions the lead. 

The move helped Argentina grow into the game and, eventually, thanks to two Messi assists, the South Americans bagged two late goals to book their place in consecutive World Cup finals.

But the ex-Chelsea boss stood by his substitutions in a post-match interview, saying: 'In this moment, my feeling was no structure in the world could have helped us. 

'Because, actually, we were too passive and we were not physical enough. We didn't stop runners arriving in our box and the deliveries were wrong. 

'I haven't seen the data yet but I think just right after the goal, the momentum swings completely and ball possession drops dramatically. We couldn't find any duels anymore; that's why we dropped deeper and deeper. It was never the plan, but it happened.'

Meanwhile, former England midfielder Gareth Barry was sympathetic to Tuchel citing that key players such as Declan Rice haven't been at 100 per cent fitness-wise for him during the World Cup.

'I think there was always a worry with the Arsenal boys given the games they've played, especially with the way Declan Rice plays,' he told Lyllo Casino. He is all action and won't stop pushing himself for 90 minutes.

'Because of the position he plays and his desire, it's probably natural that he isn't at 100 per cent in terms of sharpness or dictating games as much as we're used to. However, even if he's not at 100%, you still want Declan Rice in that squad.

'You feel for players because they want to be at 100 per cent to show how good they are, but Declan Rice should definitely still be in our first XI for me.'

Barry's sentiments were echoed by former Spain striker Fernando Morientes who hailed the England midfielder's qualities - adding that he wouldn't look out of place in the World Cup finalists' starting XI.

'Would Declan Rice get a game for Spain? In this Spanish team, yes, he could be a player with a profile like Rodri: a big guy like that, good on the ball, and defensively a really committed player too,' he said speaking to Reviant.

'We're talking about one of the best midfielders in the world right now. I don't know if he'd have a place in the Spanish squad specifically, but at this moment we're seeing similar profiles: Rodri's, and Fabián's, who's maybe a bit more of an attacking midfielder. Merino's also a bit more of an attacking midfielder, though he sits a little closer to the back four.

'But yes, I think physically and in terms of quality, he's one of those players destined to be a leader for his national team. If we naturalised him as Spanish, he'd obviously have a place too, although he'd have to earn it against the players already there, who aren't bad at all.'

 

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2026-07-17T20:32:56Z