England v France: World Cup bronze final is a nonsense and should be binned

England v France: World Cup bronze final is a nonsense and should be binned centers on criticism of the third-place match at the World Cup, arguing it lacks sporting and fan value compared with the knockout rounds. The piece says England and France will have to “go through the motions” after disappointing semi-finals, with the contest for bronze described as “instantly forgotten.” It cites past comments from coaches and managers, including Louis van Gaal in 2014, Gareth Southgate in 2018, and Morocco boss Walid Regragui in 2022, all questioning the importance of the fixture. The article highlights that many players want recovery time and that clubs are already a week into pre-season in the USA. It also notes that the European Championships discontinued the third-place play-off in 1980. The broader point is that FIFA’s structure runs counter to the idea that each round should matter more.