France not looking forward to 'chocolate-medal' match but want to perform for Didier Deschamps

[p]The French, world champions in 2018 and finalists four years ‌ago, were one of the main title contenders and were hoping ‌for a third straight final before being knocked out by European champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a] ‌in the semi-final.[/p][p]It was their third successive major semi-final defeat ‌by Spain, following Euro 2024 and the Nations League, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/england-j9N9ZNFA/france-QkGeVG1n/?mid=b9l0F3Bj"]Saturday's game[/a] will be the last under the 57-year-old Deschamps, who announced last year that he would leave ‌when his contract expired after the tournament.[/p][image alt="Deschamps during training" id="0d1a99bb-fe6f-43f9-bd3d-df4c6f1fcfa7" credit-line="FRANCK FIFE / AFP / AFP / Profimedia" guid="36108d06-7866-495b-abdb-90a56e42dbbd" original-width="1400" original-height="900" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/j9N9ZNFA/"]England[/a] on ⁠Saturday were ousted by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a], ‌who staged a two-goal [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel Messi[/a]-inspired late comeback to win 2-1.[/p][p]"I have a duty ​for this game," Deschamps told a press conference in Miami. "[b]It is not a friendly. It is a third-place playoff. The ​players, staff, and I have the duty to reach this last objective. It is less important than the final. England does not want ⁠to play this game, and ​neither do we. But here we are[/b].[/p][p]"[b]We have to set our eyes on that goal to be third and make this final goal a reality. We have this duty when wearing this jersey. In my head ‌I know that it is my last match. I don't want anybody to cry. The end is near but life goes on.[/b]"[/p][p]Deschamps and his players were still digesting their semi-final loss and the coach said he would be making changes to his lineup with some players unavailable and some injured. He did not confirm their top scorer and captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-kylian/Wn6E2SED/"]Kylian Mbappe[/a] would start.[/p][p]"[b]He is available, that's what I will [/b]say," said Deschamps. Mbappe is joint top scorer of the tournament on eight ‌goals, along with Argentina's Messi.[/p][image alt="Win probability" id="f4c910bb-e15f-4d8b-9b01-53d89d9904ef" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="39b93533-564d-4bbf-8268-d0bd3e40a07a" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] centre back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/konate-ibrahima/QJlbDbQe/"]Ibrahima Konate[/a] said despite the "bitter ​pill" of their semi-final loss, the players were eager to give ‌Deschamps a successful farewell.[/p][p]"[b]None of us wanted to play for this third place but we have no choice[/b]," Konate said.[/p][p]"[b]We want to pay back our coach," he said. "He did so much for the France team. We must be grateful to him for that and ⁠we need to do everything ⁠we can to win this ‌game... to get this chocolate medal, this bronze medal[/b]."[/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]