While most will believe the World Cup final is the only game left to be played at the summer tournament, there is still the third-place play-off to come. It has now been rebranded as the Bronze Final, but it’s hard to imagine that helping raise excitement for the match.

Both England and France will be devastated to have lost their respective semi-finals, with Argentina and Spain advancing in their stead. But players from Thomas Tuchel and Didier Deschamps’ squads have had to stay on, training this week as they hang around to play this final match to see who officially will finish third at the 2026 World Cup.

The game will take place on Saturday, July 18, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Speaking to the press ahead of the fixture, France defender Ibrahima Konate has revealed how his teammates really feel about the match.

Ibrahima Konate: ‘No One Wants To Play in Third-Place Play-Off’

Speaking to the press ahead of the game against England, Konate did not pull any punches as he bluntly explained:

He was also quoted as saying: “Indeed, it was not the objective. How do we mobilise and motivate ourselves? Well, I believe that as French players for this team, many players would have loved to compete and play this game.

“We wanted to play the final, but we are still representing France and it is the dream of many people to wear the shirt, the jersey, and sing the Marseillaise therefore we need to respect the jersey we’re wearing.”

Thomas Tuchel Also Not Keen on England vs France Meeting

REUTERS/Paul Childs

Konate made reference to England manager Thomas Tuchel, who was just as damning about the third-place play-off. Speaking to the press ahead of the game, the German said:

“None of our players and none of the French players want to play this match. We demand the most of ourselves. That’s just the nature of being competitive. 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.”

He did add, however, “We have one less day of recovery than France, but we will do it with professionalism.”

That said, there is one player who will be motivated to do well in the game. Indeed, Kylian Mbappe is tied level with Lionel Messi on eight goals as he aims to win the Golden Boot. Not only that, but the Frenchman is also just one strike (20) behind the Argentine (21) as the all-time top goalscorer in World Cup history.

Speaking ahead of the game against England, Mbappe claimed his main motivation was to give manager Deschamps a good send-off in his final game in charge of France. He explained:

“Nothing changed about what Didier means to us as a French people. As a manager, as a player, he wrote an amazing story.

“There’s one game left for him, so we’re going to try to play the best game for him because he deserves it, and also the fans deserve to have a win and finish third in this World Cup.”

After his big comeback to the UFC following a five-year absence ended in disappointment, Conor McGregor has responded to fans who claimed his loss to Max Holloway was down to ‘years of hard drugs.’

The highly anticipated main event at UFC 329 saw McGregor take on former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway. The Irishman looked to make a fast start, opening with a high kick that saw him fall to the canvas. Bouncing back up, he looked to land with another, and once more fell to the canvas.

Holloway looked to ground and pound momentarily before letting McGregor back to his feet. The latter then looked to land with a punch, but once again lost his balance.

It was soon apparent the Irishman was unable to continue owing to a knee injury, leading to boos around the T-Mobile Arena as the fight ended in heartbreak for McGregor and disappointment for legions of fans after just 69 seconds.

Conor McGregor & Max Holloway Want Trilogy Fight

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Following the fight, Holloway confirmed there will be a trilogy fight, as the Hawaii native said “it sucks” the fight ended the way it did, given all the hype.

“We have to run it back one more time. We need one more,” he stressed.

McGregor, too, said Holloway is the man he wants to face in what will be the final fight of his current UFC contract.

Responding to fans on social media, McGregor wrote “it has to be Holloway” when asked who he’d like his last fight to be against.

That was one of several responses the 38-year-old superstar gave, with other fans asking him about his drug abuse and if that was the reason behind his defeat.

Conor McGregor Responds to Drug Use Allegations

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Since his last UFC fight five years ago, McGregor has become an increasingly controversial figure. There have been social media outbursts, court cases, a potential Irish presidential run, and incidences of substance abuse.

However, he was keen to assure fans he’s now turned the page after his defeat at UFC 329.

“I felt fully calm and relaxed,” he told one fan on social media. “It was going to the shop for my lunch. Lunch being the opponent.”

When another claimed “That’s what years of hard drugs does” to him, McGregor responded that it was nonsense.

He assured his hematocrit was 48% and that his engine, oxygen, and blood were “never in better condition.” Hematocrit is the percentage of your blood made up of red blood cells, carrying oxygen around your body.

When another asked if he was on the drugs again, McGregor asserted he has not and will not ever take any mind-altering substances.

Credit: Mark J. Rebilas via Imagn Images

Instead, with the fight going the way it did, McGregor said he was awaiting surgery and planning his recovery, with zero mind-altering substances entering his body.

“However, it went the way it went, and I am awaiting my surgery and planning my recovery, so zero mind-altering substances have entered my body whatsoever. More time under extreme discipline is required and that is it. I find extreme discipline most enjoyable anyway, so happy days.”

Marc Cucurella had the Spanish left flank completely locked down during their Tuesday night tie against France, as the Spaniards booked a place in the World Cup final. Their spot in the final means that they will be met with the USA President Donald Trump after the game to receive their medals and a potential trophy.

For Cucurella, it will be his second meeting with Trump, having crossed paths with him at the Club World Cup final with Chelsea, where Trump presented the Blues with their medals and trophy.

Trump is a powerful man with a big presence, so it was no surprise that Cucucrella was wary of meeting him last time.

Cucurella’s Awkward Encounter With Trump

REUTERS/Lee Smith

Cucurella first met Trump at MetLife Stadium, where the Club World Cup final was being held. Chelsea were facing PSG in the final, and the English side came out on top with a 3-0 victory thanks to a Cole Palmer brace and a goal from Joao Pedro.

For the big occasion, Donald Trump was in attendance at the game and was invited onto the pitch at the end of the game to be a part of the trophy lift celebrations, but Cucurella remembers that the players were given very specific instructions.

According to The Sun, via Gerard Romero, Cucurella said: “We had been told that, as a rule, Donald Trump would come to present us with the trophy and that we couldn’t lift it until he left.”

It seemed a simple task to give a trophy to the team captain and then step off the stage to watch the players lift the trophy, but Cucurella recalls the exchange being awkward.

“We were all there waiting for him to leave, but the guy didn’t want to leave, and on top of that, we looked at him, and he said, ‘Lift it up, I’ll stay here.'”

For the Chelsea players, it put them in a tough situation as to whether they should follow the original instructions and wait for Trump to exit the stage, or follow the President’s orders and lift the trophy with him present.

For a player who has come up against some of the best wingers in world football, it comes as a surprise that the USA President is the person to strike fear into him.

Luckily for the Spanish left-back, the situation eased, and Reece James went ahead and lifted the trophy with Trump smiling on stage, who now claims he keeps the original trophy in a cabinet at the White House.

A Second Meeting at MetLife Stadium

REUTERS/Carlos Barria

With Spain having their place in the World Cup final booked, it means that Cucurella could reacquaint himself with the President once again, with Trump expected to be in attendance at MetLife Stadium once again.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has already confirmed that Trump will be presenting players with the trophy at the final on Sunday evening.

Although Cucurella won’t have the job of receiving the trophy from Trump, as that responsibility goes to the captain, Rodri, so his woes are spared there, the new Real Madrid full-back will be hoping for a much smoother encounter with the American President.