Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterPicture this: England are one of the last teams playing in the World Cup. Its third against fourth in the world rankings, and the Three Lions have raced into a 4-0 first-half lead against one of the pre-tournament favourites.A one-man Declan Rice band is putting Frances midfield to shame, Bukayo Saka is farming TikTok comp clips from the right flank, and Kylian Mbappe cant make a dent in a Dean Henderson-shaped wall.Life's good, right? No, its bloody awful.England so strong, yet so painfulThats because this is, of course, the dreaded third-place play-off game, the prize being a bronzed box on your nations World Cup Wikipedia page.Former England international and BBC pundit Danny Murphy argued before the game, through gritted teeth, that a win in this Miami meeting could potentially be a tiny consolation for crashing out in the semis against Argentina. You may like England vs Croatia proves all the fun of the fair on thrillseekers' doorstep - but only for the neutral How to watch France vs England for FREE France vs England prediction for World Cup 2026 third-place play-off Id have been minded to agree before the first whistle blew, fully expecting Mbappes Golden Boot campaign to reach a dubiously successful conclusion - and it still did, but that didn't account for SIX England goals.As Rice, Ezri Konsa, Jude Bellingham and Saka (thrice) whistled the ball past Mike Maignan, all I could muster was a bitter chuckle. Nothing about this was consoling.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.I didnt think the bronze-medal battle could get any worse, until I saw it go well.Where was this version of Rice, the one we all know, in the previous rounds? How does Saka look like hes never been scathed by injury in his life? Why have we saved this for the worlds most pointless fixture? And how are we pulling it off without Harry Kane or Jude Bellingham (for most of it, at least)?Yes, okay, I concede we may not have witnessed a vintage Les Bleus, who no doubt would have presented a more lethal version of themselves had the trophy been on the line, but if we can make the 2018 victors look like minnows, in Didier Deschamps' farewell ceremony, what more were we capable of?Watching Marcus Rashford fire off rockets incumbered by pressure, seeing Eberechi Eze glide across the pitch picking up pockets of space as he does so well, and witnessing Djed Spence shuttle up and down like an Avanti West Coast train, I think I know the answer. And thats why this performance, which should ordinarily be a disposable, forgettable game, feels so painful.All the parts might have been there; we just didnt put them together.One glimmer of hope comes courtesy of the age of many of those involved, who will be hitting their prime as the 2030 edition rocks around, but forgive me for postponing that sober analysis for now.TOPICSWorld Cup 2026Isaac Stacey StrongeSocial Links NavigationFreelance WriterIsaac Stacey Stronge is a freelance football writer working for FourFourTwo, Manchester United and Football League World. He has been a season ticket holder at Stockport County throughout the Hatters meteoric rise from the National League North to League One and is a die-hard Paddy Madden fan.
