Stade Plabennec · National 3 - Group J · Goalkeeper · #1 · France · 34 yrs
England face France in search of third place at the 2026 World Cup, where Harry Kane will surprisingly begin the match on the bench. England face France in the third-place match of the 2026 World Cup at Miami Stadium, and manager Thomas Tuchel has left Harry Kane out of his starting eleven for the occasion. In his place, Ivan Toney is set to lead the line, getting his first start of the tournament after spending the entire competition as a squad option behind Kane. The decision has nothing to do with fitness or form. Kane has been fully available and remains one of the tournament’s standout performers, but with the third-place match carrying little weight on the bigger picture, Tuchel has opted to give Toney a chance to get minutes on the sport’s biggest stage. It’s a low-risk call for Tuchel, who can afford to rotate now that England‘s title hopes have already ended, while still being able to bring Kane on later in the match if the situation calls for it. Harry Kane celebrates a goal for England. (Getty Images) Harry Kane’s outstanding World Cup Kane leaves this tournament having delivered one of the best individual campaigns of his career. The England captain started all six of his side’s matches, finishing with 6 goals and 1 assist, tied for third among the tournament’s top scorers. Along the way, he broke Gary Lineker’s long-standing record to become England’s all-time leading World Cup scorer, moved past Pele on the all-time World Cup goals list, and pulled level with France great Just Fontaine on 13 career World Cup goals. He also became just the sixth player in history to score five or more goals at two different World Cups, joining a list that includes Miroslav Klose, Thomas Muller, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe.
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Saturday’s rebranded “bronze final” between France and England in Miami might feel like a modern, Gianni-coded exercise in squeezing the product dry, but the third-place playoff is a staple of World Cup history, even if it remains the game nobody wants to play in. The very first TPPO came in 1934, Germany defeating Austria 3-2 in a match engulfed in murky, menacing geopolitics. Thankfully, the fixture quickly became a more knockabout affair – Brazil swaggered on to the world stage by beating Sweden 4-2 in 1938, and France put six past West Germany in a nine-goal feast of football 20 years later. Just Fontaine scored four that day, later to be joined by Thomas Müller, Davor Suker and Toto Schillaci in using the fixture to pad their Golden Boot stats – a tactic Kylian Mbappé might want to try against a punch-drunk England side and pip Lionel Messi to another personal accolade as a result.I seem to recall that the GWC has been hosted by three countries, who advanced to the same stage of the competition, making them at least equal as far as ability to compete is concerned. So, surely, any presentations at the final should be represented and handed over by Canada, Mexico and USA USA USA, on behalf of Fifa, and not only by Donald Trump?” – Dave Butler.So Donald Trump will be attending the GWC final … what further imaginary award will Infantino pull out of the hat for him at the end? The Ballon d’Orange perhaps?” – Phil TavernerRe: naming the 2030 World Cup (Football Daily letters passim): split across three global power zones, it sounds like an Aldous Huxley dystopian vision. How about Brave New World Cup?” – Daniel SolomonsThis is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...
After his hat trick in the 2026 World Cup, Brazil icon Ronaldo Nazario highly praised Lionel Messi, stating that "It is time for the world to stop hiding and accept the fact that he is the greatest player of all time." Lionel Messi immediately captured global sports headlines following another historic night on the pitch, netting his first career World Cup hat trick against Algeria in Argentina’s Group J opener. In a massive ultimate show of respect between icons, Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario highly praised the forward, stating that it is officially time for the world to recognize the Argentine as the greatest of all time. Beginning their highly anticipated title defense, Argentina entered the match with all eyes fixed on Messi, who prepared for the tournament in MLS with Inter Miami. Despite dealing with a minor hamstring issue in the buildup, the 38-year-old captain delivered a masterclass performance to secure the victory, drawing level with Miroslav Klose at 16 career goals to share the tournament’s all-time scoring record. In conversations with Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Ronaldo spoke openly about the legendary forward’s enduring impact on the international stage: “Every time Messi steps onto the pitch, everything becomes historic and elegant. It is time for the world to stop hiding and accept the fact that he is the greatest player of all time.“ The former Brazilian striker concluded his thoughts by emphasizing how Messi continuously silences his critics during major tournaments. “He continues to deliver an exceptional performance every season, and yet, at the World Cup, there are still doubts about him. It is an unforgettable and historic night that will remain forever in the history books,” Ronaldo said. Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrating. Messi’s recognition of Ronaldo Nazario Entering the tournament opener with 13 career World Cup tallies, Messi’s clinical three-goal performance instantly vaulted him into a tie with Klose for the most goals in tournament history. In the process, the Argentine captain leapfrogged several icons on the all-time list, including Just Fontaine, Gerd Muller, and Ronaldo himself, who previously sat in sole possession of second place with 15 goals. During his postgame press conference, Messi expressed deep humility regarding the goalscoring milestone and made sure to share a mutual sign of respect with the Brazilian legend: “It is an honor to be up there, because of what it means. To be alongside Klose, those who are there. In the end, it’s just statistics and nothing more. Ronaldo (Nazario), from what I’ve seen, is one of the greatest, and he isn’t first.“ While only 17 years old, Ronaldo was a member of the iconic 1994 Brazil squad that lifted the trophy before later anchoring the national team during their 1998 runner-up finish and their historic 2002 championship run. Boasting one World Cup title from his legendary 2022 run in Qatar, Messi will have one final opportunity in North America to match the Brazilian striker’s tally of two tournament championships.
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