England Carries 'Scars' of Semifinal Heartbreak Into Third-Place Match With France
Thomas Tuchel defends his tactics as his side faces France on Saturday, while Didier Deschamps prepares a bittersweet farewell
England will face France on Saturday in the World Cup third-place playoff, still processing a late semifinal defeat to Argentina that coach Thomas Tuchel said his team will carry with it going forward.
Tuchel defended his tactical decisions in a tense news conference after the Argentina loss, calling the defeat "a scar we carry now," according to BBC Sport. He said his players enter Saturday's match against France still bearing the pain of that heartbreak, Al Jazeera reported.
The loss drew additional criticism from an unexpected source: President Donald Trump joined critics of England's approach, joking that the team turned captain Harry Kane into "a defensive player" during the second half of the semifinal defeat, according to both Al Jazeera and BBC Sport.
For France, Saturday's match carries its own significance. Manager Didier Deschamps, who led the team to the 2018 World Cup title, is set to depart after the game in what Al Jazeera described as a bittersweet end to his tenure, with Zinedine Zidane waiting to take over the position.
Both sides will look to close the tournament with a measure of redemption after falling short of the final, which pits Argentina against Spain on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
— Compiled from reporting by BBC Sport and Al Jazeera.