There had been a lot of speculation about whether Kylian Mbappé will suit up for France when Les Bleus take the pitch against England in the World Cup third-place game.
Mbappé might have extra incentive to play in the match, as the winner will take home $29 million in prize money, even though his manager admitted that some players might not be up for the game, as they are disappointed about not playing in the final.
“Whether they play or not, I have the duty as a head coach to do everything I can to reach tomorrow’s objective,” said France manager Didier Deschamps. “I hope that we do, and we must display all the efforts to do so. It is one game. I have some keys in my possessions. Some players might play, others due to personal reasons will want to play.
“I do not want to betray any discussions I had with the players. I do not have all the elements, but yes, I will substitute some players.”
Yes, Kylian Mbappé was on France’s official starting lineup for the World Cup third-place match, so he will play.
France manager Didier Deschamps previously said Mbappé was “available” for the faceoff against England, but added that things could have changed as the team got closer to the 5 p.m. ET start time at Miami Stadium (aka Hard Rock Stadium) in Miami Gardens.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Mbappé each have eight goals apiece and are vying for the Golden Boot, given to the player who scored the most goals during the competition. If two or more players score the same number of goals, then the number of assists is the deciding factor. Messi has four assists going into Argentina’s final game against Spain, and Mbappé has three.
England’s Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane could have won the Golden Boot if one or both had big games against France. Both players have six goals and one assist during the tournament. But neither player was listed on England’s starting lineup, so it’s presumed their competition is over.