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SATURDAY 18th JULY 2026

Deschamps’ last dance

2026 WORLD CUP

SUNDAY JULY 19 @ 5AM

FRANCE vs ENGLAND (Malaysian time)

Mbappe’s chase record as England prepare for gloomy World Cup send-off

F RANCE and England will have to pick themselves up from crushing World Cup semifinal defeats for tomorrow’s (5am Malaysian time) third-place game, with Didier Deschamps taking charge of Les Bleus for the final time and Kylian Mbappe chasing individ ual history in a game likely to feature sweeping changes on both sides. France’s hopes of

that,” Kane told reporters. “I’m taking it year by year and the national team is my pride and joy. It’s what I love to do more than anything … I never want to put a limit on these things.” The match is also an opportunity for Mbappe to move into top spot in the all-time World Cup scoring charts. The Real Madrid striker is cur rently on 20 goals, one behind Messi on 21. Much may depend on the strength of the line ups fielded by both teams. France are expected to rotate their starting lineup significantly, giving opportunities to play ers who have featured less during the tourna ment, while Tuchel could take a similar approach after his side’s exhausting campaign. England’s energy-sapping last 16 trip to the thin air of Mexico City and the Estadio Azteca was followed by a brutally hot quarterfinal win over Norway in Miami before the shattering defeat to Argentina. Tuchel is likely to give game time to players who have been on the fringes throughout the campaign, most likely meaning a World Cup debut for Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo and possibly a start for Kane’s understudy as striker, Ollie Watkins. Deschamps may be tempted

tional bronze-medal match may feel like an unwanted assignment for players who arrived in North America dreaming of lifting the trophy. “None of these players, none of the French players want to play this match. They want to play in the final. We gave everything to be in the final,” England coach Thomas Tuchel said. “We have one less day of recovery than France, but we will do it with professionalism.” England’s Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham – who are on six goals apiece – could also enter the running with a big performance at the Hard Rock Stadium. For England’s all-time record goalscorer Kane, the game may also mark the final World Cup appearance of his career. The Bayern Munich forward turns 33 this month and it is questionable whether he will be around for the 2030 finals.

heartbreak a day later with a 2-1 loss to Argentina.

The Miami match will bring down the curtain on Deschamps’ 14-year reign, during which he led France to the 2018 World Cup title, the final four years later and three successive World Cup semifinals. While the 57-year-old had hoped to leave with a second world title as a coach,

tomorrow offers his players one last opportunity to send off the man who established France as one of inter national football’s most consistent forces over the past decade. “There’s a third-place finish to play for, so we’ll do everything we can to get it,” Deschamps said after France’s semifinal loss.

reaching a third suc cessive World Cup final were emphati

“We’re not where we wanted or expected to be. The disap pointment matches our ambitions, but we have to accept it. We have no other choice.” With both teams physically and emotionally drained after deep runs through the expanded 48-team

Kane declined to speculate on his international future following Wednesday’s defeat. “It’s too early to talk about

cally ended by Spain in a 2-0 defeat on Wednesday, while

Didier Deschamps lifts the trophy after captaining France to a victory over Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final in Paris. – AFPPIC

England suffered

their own

to field veteran midfielder N’Golo Kante, one of the heroes of Les Bleus’ 2018 World Cup win, who has not seen a minute of action in the United States. The stakes may be lower than either team wanted, but for fringe players there will be an opportunity to make a final impression, while for Mbappe and Deschamps there remains something more tangible on the

tournament, however, the tradi

line: history for one and a winning farewell for the other. – AFP/Reuters

2018 World Cup: France head coach Deschamps (right) kisses the trophy alongside captain Kylian Mbappe celebrating their triumph at the Stade de France Stadium in Paris. – AFPPIC

Argentina’s superstitious charge

Rookie rules Royal

Tuchel under fire

p 28 Spa blow for Norris

p 29

p 30

p 31

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