Argentina ultimately fell victim to one of the tournament’s most remarkable trends: no team that entered the World Cup as the No. 1 side in the FIFA World Ranking has ever gone on to lift the trophy. With Lionel Messi losing the final, La Albiceleste dropped to second place in the rankings.

France were another team that remained among the top nations in the standings throughout the tournament. However, after their defeat to England, Les Bleus finished the competition in third place.

FIFA Ranking Top 10 after the World Cup: Final standings

The 2026 World Cup has come to an end, and with it, the FIFA Ranking has been updated until official competition resumes. Spain sit at the top, Argentina remain in second place, Portugal drop two spots, and Mexico close out the Top 10 after climbing four positions.

Despite being eliminated by Norway, Brazil‘s national team, led by Carlo Ancelotti, managed to climb one spot in the FIFA Ranking, the same situation as Morocco. Meanwhile, just like Argentina and Portugal, which dropped positions, the Netherlands also suffered a slight decline compared to where they stood at the start of the tournament.

Spain outclassed Argentina

Spain were better than Argentina, a fact even acknowledged by Lionel Scaloni himself. La Roja defeated their opponents 1-0 thanks to a dramatic extra-time goal from Ferran Torres, securing another major trophy and adding a new chapter to their history.

What comes next after the World Cup?

Following the conclusion of the World Cup, the official FIFA international calendar will resume in late 2026 with two distinct windows for national teams. The competitive action gets back underway with an extended September/October fixture block running from September 21 to October 6, 2026, giving teams an intensive two-week period to restart their official campaigns.

Shortly after, a second window scheduled from November 9 to November 17, 2026, will be dedicated to friendly matches as well as qualifying fixtures, offering managers a crucial opportunity to fine-tune squad dynamics and test new talent before the end of the year.

A disastrous performance in the first half of the third-place match saw France head into the locker room trailing 4-0, creating a tense atmosphere that eventually boiled over during post-match media interviews. Rabiot did not hold back when assessing the performance. “We started this first half in a quite embarrassing way. I saw behaviors in some players that I had never seen until now. It is a bit disappointing because it was the last game to look good in this competition,” Rabiot stated.

“There is a lot of disappointment after the loss to Spain, but we had to give everything until the end and we cannot settle for doing things halfway just like that.” Despite the terrible start, France showed signs of life after the break, a point noted by other members of the squad. “We talked at halftime, told ourselves we had to show some pride, and the second half was much better, because in the first half there were some unacceptable attitudes,” Rabiot concluded.

Deschamps’ response

This unfortunately marked Deschamps‘ final match with France, concluding the career of an unquestionable legend in the history of the team. However, his farewell was bitter, compounded by Rabiot’s controversial remarks, which the manager addressed with authority.

“I am not going to settle scores today!“ Deschamps said. “The players know it well. I am not going to point fingers. Instead, I always tell them what I think! Certainly, as Kylian said, it had to be digested.

“But it is I who made a mistake, I should have made other decisions from the start of the match, they can say it, and maybe it would have turned out better. Everyone is judged by their performances. Obviously, some players could have done better. I wish the best to everyone.”

France left reeling

There is no denying that France put together a surprising run throughout the tournament due to their dominance. Their World Cup journey included victories over Senegal (3-1), Iraq (3-0), Norway (4-1), Sweden (3-0 in the round of 32), Paraguay (1-0 in the round of 16), and Morocco (2-0 in the quarterfinals) before hitting a wall against Spain. The Spanish side secured a 2-0 victory in the semifinals, shattering French dreams of lifting another trophy.

That elimination left deep scars within the locker room. According to L’Equipe, several players identified Deschamps as the main culprit behind the loss to Spain. Specifically, players pointed to the decision to keep Aurelien Tchouameni in the starting lineup and the substitution of Rabiot at halftime. The unrest grew because the coach maintained the exact same system during the second half, restricting his adjustments to player-for-player substitutions without altering the overall tactical approach.

“Tomorrow, Messi is going to score a goal for sure. Messi always scores,” Mbappe commented with total confidence after the match. Mbappe remains certain that Messi will catch him in the all-time World Cup scoring record, sending this message for him to score against Spain.

Messi sits just one goal away from catching Mbappe and at least sharing the first place of top scorers for the next four years. Nevertheless, for Mbappe, the most important thing was to play in the final rather than hold the goal record. “I would like to not be the top scorer and play tomorrow’s match,” Mbappe added, knowing that, for the first time in his career, he will not play in the World Cup final.

A bitter-sweet finish

Mbappe departs the World Cup with a new brace, his seventh multi-goal game in World Cups, but it serves for nothing after receiving six goals from the English side, an outcome that ultimately relegates them to fourth place in the tournament—marking the worst statistical team finish in Mbappe’s career.

With 10 goals in this tournament with France, he surpasses Lionel Messi as the top scorer in World Cup history, reaching 22 total goals (one more than the Argentine). The Real Madrid forward scored in the 48th minute of the third-place match with a cross-shot, and added his second in the 66th minute, both thanks to assists from Michael Olise.

Mbappe was one of four French players who repeated as a starter after playing the semifinal match against Spain, aiming to surpass Messi, who has eight goals but had delivered one more assist than the Frenchman in the race for the Golden Boot.

Messi and a mission

Argentina face Spain in their second consecutive final on July 19, where Lionel Messi has the mission—though now without a heavy burden on his hands—to become back-to-back world champions. Along the way, he will fight and try to secure the Golden Boot to close out a legendary participation in the World Cup in a great way.

Mbappe is an incredible talent born for the big stage. He shines in every aspect of the game. From scoring, take-ons, assisting, and beating opponents with blistering pace, Mbappe can do it all.

France is a team with lots of history, but also with lots of talent, yet Mbappe is always shining above the rest. For almost a decade, the Parisian-born forward has gotten milestone after milestone for the national team.

List of records Kylian Mbappe broke at the 2026 World Cup

Kylian Mbappe might as well be called ‘Mr. World Cup‘ for France as he has gone to two finals and one semifinal in three World Cup appearances. In all three, he has been the absolute leader of the team.

• Most career World Cup knockout stage goals (14 goals)
• First player with 8+ goals in two separate World Cups
• Most multi-goal games in World Cup history (8 games)
• First player with 10+ goals in a single tournament since 1970
• Most goal involvements since 1970 (17 goals)
• Most capped French World Cup player (22 appearances)
• All-Time France scoring leader (60 goals)
• Most World Cup matches with a goal and an assist (6 matches)
• Youngest player to reach 15 and 20 career World Cup goals
• Most goals scored in a single World Cup edition for France since 1958 (10 goals)

Mbappe will still be in his prime by the 2030 World Cup

Mbappe is just 27 years old. Hence, by the 2030 World Cup, he’ll be 31, which is still a prime age for playing soccer. Hence, he is still very much on pace to break many more records, and make the gap bigger between him and players in pursuit.

After relying on Jordan Pickford throughout the tournament, head coach Thomas Tuchel has decided to rotate his squad for the final match of England’s World Cup campaign.

The decision gives another goalkeeper the opportunity to start on one of soccer’s biggest stages. Many fans are wondering who got the long awaited chance.

Who is England’s starting goalkeeper today vs France?

Dean Henderson is England’s starting goalkeeper against France. The Crystal Palace shot-stopper replaces Jordan Pickford, who had started every previous match for the Three Lions during the 2026 World Cup.

Tuchel’s decision appears to be a technical one rather than the result of injury or suspension, giving Henderson a rare opportunity to play for England in a competitive international match.

Jordan Pickford began every match of England’s World Cup run and remained the team’s undisputed No. 1 throughout the tournament. However, with the World Cup title no longer within reach, Tuchel has chosen to reward Henderson with a start while also giving Pickford a chance to rest after a demanding tournament. For Henderson, it represents one of the most important appearances of his international career.

Could Dean Henderson become England’s No. 1 over Jordan Pickford?

The match against France could prove significant beyond the 2026 World Cup. With England now beginning to look ahead to the 2028 UEFA European Championship, Henderson has an opportunity to show he can seriously challenge Pickford for the starting role.

Although Pickford remains England’s first-choice goalkeeper, a strong performance from Henderson could give Tuchel another reliable option as the Three Lions begin their next international cycle.

The Three Lions face France at Miami Stadium in Florida looking to finish their World Cup campaign with a victory after falling 2-1 loss to Argentina in the semifinals. England managerThomas Tuchel has opted for several changes to his lineup as his team prepares for one final appearance at the tournament.

Gordon’s absence from the starting XI is the result of a tactical decision rather than a fitness issue, leaving the winger available to make an impact later in the match if needed.

Could Gordon still feature against France?

Yes. Gordon is eligible to play and could be introduced at any point during the third-place playoff. As a result, Gordon remains available to enter the match if Tuchel looks to add pace and creativity during the second half.

With both teams aiming to end their World Cup campaigns on a positive note, England’s bench could play an important role, and Gordon offers Tuchel another attacking option capable of changing the rhythm of the game if called upon.

With Harry Kane beginning the match on the bench in Miami, many supporters expected the Aston Villa striker to receive his chance as England’s starting center forward.

Instead, Thomas Tuchel made a different decision, leaving Watkins out of the lineup and prompting questions from fans. As a consequence, there’s a big debate about why that happened.

Why isn’t Ollie Watkins playing today for England against France in 2026 World Cup?

Ollie Watkins is not starting for England against France because of a technical decision by Thomas Tuchel. Rather than replacing Harry Kane with Watkins, Tuchel has chosen to give Ivan Toney the opportunity to lead England’s attack in the third-place match.

The decision has surprised many supporters, who believed this was the ideal opportunity for Watkins to start after spending most of the tournament in a backup role. Tuchel believed it wasn’t.

Why Olly Watkins hasn’t played in 2026 World Cup?

Despite arriving at the tournament as one of England’s attacking options, Watkins has received very limited opportunities under Thomas Tuchel. It’s totally Tuchel’s decision.

That represents a sharp contrast from UEFA Euro 2024, where the Aston Villa striker became one of England’s most valuable substitutes and delivered several important moments off the bench.

At the 2026 World Cup, however, Tuchel has consistently preferred Harry Kane as his first-choice striker, while Ivan Toney has now been selected to start in Kane’s place against France. Although Watkins remains available from the bench, his lack of playing time has become one of the more surprising storylines of England’s World Cup campaign.

For this final match, the manager opted to completely reshape his defense compared to previous games, not only for tactical reasons but also because of injuries, as was the case with William Saliba.

Jules Kounde is another notable player who will not be in the starting lineup, nor will Lucas Digne, one of the key figures in France’s semifinal defeat to Spain. As a result, this is the starting XI that will take the field at Miami Stadium.

Mike Maignan; Malo Gusto, Ibrahima Konate, Theo Hernandez, Maxence Lacroix; Adrien Rabiot, Warren Zaire-Emery, Rayan Cherki; Kylian Mbappe (C), Michael Olise, Desire Doue.

More changes in attack

The defense is not the only thing Deschamps changed ahead of this match. Ousmane Dembele will also not be starting from the beginning, giving Rayan Cherki, one of the players France has in the Premier League, the opportunity to play more minutes in the tournament.

Mbappe wants to be the top scorer

The Golden Boot race has become a thrilling battle, even with just two matches remaining. Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi have both scored eight goals and are aiming to finish as the World Cup’s top scorer.

Mbappe can continue to cement his legacy in this match against England. Messi, meanwhile, will attempt to do the same on Sunday in the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, which will be played at New York New Jersey Stadium with kickoff scheduled for 3 PM ET.

Kounde has been an important part of France’s defensive structure throughout the tournament, but Deschamps opted for a different approach in the final match of the World Cup campaign. The Barcelona defender remains an option to enter during the game if France need adjustments.

With both teams looking to finish the tournament with a victory after semifinal defeats, France made changes to their lineup while keeping several key players available, including Kylian Mbappe, who is still competing for the Golden Boot.

What role has Kounde played for France?

Throughout the tournament, Kounde has been one of France’s reliable defensive options, offering versatility and the ability to contribute both as a right-back and as part of the defensive line. FIFA has appointed Venezuelan referee Jesús Valenzuela to officiate Saturday’s contest.

With ideal conditions in Miami today, his availability provides France with depth in a match where both teams are balancing the disappointment of missing the final with the opportunity to secure a podium finish.

With key implications if France win, tie, or lose against England today, and if the situation requires a defensive adjustment, Kounde remains one of the first options available from the bench.

Manager Didier Deschamps has made several sweeping changes to France’s lineup to face England. With the world title no longer in dispute, the coach believes squad rotation and rest are the best options for a roster that has endured an exhaustive season.

Dembele’s omission from the starting XI shocked many fans. However, he does not carry an injury report; the reason he starts on the bench is strictly a tactical decision by Deschamps, who is resting multiple key starters today.

Both France and England have opted to rest several key starters

Throughout the week, multiple players from both squads admitted that the third-place match holds little relevance for them. Having set their sights entirely on the ultimate title, many view a bronze medal as nothing more than a placebo.

Both managers are well aware of this sentiment, which is clearly reflected in their heavily rotated starting lineups. For England, captain Harry Kane starts on the bench against France, as he is no longer in contention for the tournament’s Golden Boot. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford will also serve as a backup against Les Bleus.

France has similarly chosen to rest big names, including defender Jules Kounde, yet Kylian Mbappe is starting as he is still in contention for the Golden Boot. While finishing third places a team on the historical list of World Cup podium finishers, the bronze medal simply lacks appeal for many of these exhausted players.

Is there prize money for the 2026 World Cup third-place winner?

Yes. The winner of the France vs. England clash at Miami Stadium will take home a significant financial reward alongside their medals. Historically, FIFA has awarded substantial prize money to the third-place finishers, an amount that continues to increase with every edition of the tournament.

Dean Henderson will start in Pickford’s place. England will rely on their backup goalkeeper in their final appearance of the tournament after suffering a semifinal defeat to Argentina.

He is not the only change the manager has made, as Jude Bellingham is also not in the starting lineup. Another high-profile absentee is Harry Kane, meaning England‘s starting XI is as follows:

Dean Henderson; Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Djed Spence, Jarrel Quansah; Declan Rice (C), Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze; Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Ivan Toney.

Pickford’s outstanding World Cup

During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Jordan Pickford once again proved to be the backbone of the Three Lions, playing all 660 minutes across England’s 7 matches. While he conceded 8 goals throughout the tournament, his statistics only tell half the story.

Pickford delivered multiple world-class performances—including a vital 5-save display against Norway in the quarter-finals and crucial stops against Argentina in the semi-finals—constantly rescuing an English side that frequently fell back under heavy pressure.

Despite England’s heartbreaking 2-1 elimination by Argentina in the semi-finals, Pickford stood out as one of the tournament’s top goalkeepers, keeping his team alive until the final seconds.