The French national football team and their English counterpart bid a bitter farewell to the 2026 World Cup when they meet at dawn on Sunday in the unwanted third-place match at Miami Stadium. The two teams head to Florida still feeling the disappointment of their semi-final exits, after both footballing nations found themselves licking wounds that many believe were largely self-inflicted. France, which looked like the standout team on its way to the final four, appeared completely lackluster in the face of a tactical lesson from Spain, losing 2-0. England added another chapter to its long history of World Cup heartbreaks, squandering the initiative and a lead to lose 1-2 to Argentina in Atlanta. France and England must now try to muster whatever remains of their competitive spirit and physical reserves to play a match that is not widely popular in the football world. The match represents a sad ending to the long journey of Didier Deschamps, coach of "Les Bleus," at the helm. Deschamps, who like Tuchel faced sharp criticism over the tactical choices that accompanied his team's semi-final defeat, will leave his post after the tournament. The departure of the 57-year-old coach ends a 14-year tenure leading the Blues, during which they won the World Cup in 2018, lost in the 2022 final, and reached the semi-finals in the current edition. Although the match does not attract public attention, it could be decisive in the race for the tournament's Golden Boot. Kylian Mbappé, captain of France, tops the scoring charts jointly with Lionel Messi, captain of Argentina, with eight goals each, and will try to add to his tally against an English defense. Meanwhile, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham of England, who have each scored six goals, are capable of entering the competition strongly if they put in a big performance at the Hard Rock Stadium. For Kane, the all-time leading scorer for the "Three Lions," this match could be his last World Cup appearance. The match also presents an opportunity for Mbappé to take sole possession of the top spot on the all-time World Cup scorers list, as he currently has 20 goals, one behind Messi. Much may depend on the strength of the lineups the coaches field, and Tuchel is expected to make extensive changes to his starting lineup after a very grueling tournament. Deschamps is inclined to include N'Golo Kanté, the veteran midfielder and one of the heroes of France's 2018 World Cup triumph, who has not played a single minute so far in America.