World Cup Third-Place Playoff: The bronze final, the consolation prize, the wooden spoon. Call it whatever you want; the game to see who finishes third in the FIFA World Cup is something no country readily wants to be a part of. For the bigger nations, those who enter the tournament with aspirations to win the entire thing, participating in this game is seen as a sign of failure.
The match pits two teams who have lost the semi-finals, meaning there is little motivation for players taking part, and perhaps they just want to go home at this point. Yet, the much-ridiculed third-place game has seen some significant results over the years.
While the traditionally stronger teams might look down upon the game, for teams who weren’t expected to reach the semis, this is another opportunity to go one better. There have also been occasions when there is still something to play for, as in Kylian Mbappe’s case when France play England on Saturday, July 18.
The French striker is still chasing the Golden Boot, and maybe winning it won’t make up for not reaching the final, but it would still make the tournament memorable for him. For England, this would represent the chance to have their best finish at the tournament since 1966. So, there is something to play for. For now, Curva Global takes a look at some of the best third-place playoff matches over the years in chronological order.
1958: France 6-3 Germany
The 1958 World Cup in Sweden is largely remembered for the arrival of a young Pele. The 17-year-old Brazilian wowed the world of football to take the South American nation to World Cup glory in incredible fashion.
But before Pele’s crowing moment, the third-place game between France and Germany lived up to its billing. Led by striker Just Fontaine, France were a free-scoring side in the World Cup, and many expected them to go all the way. They had beaten Northern Ireland 4-0 in the quarter-final, with Fontaine scoring two before falling to Pele’s hat-trick in the semis, losing 5-2.
They were up against a German side, which had also looked like a strong challenger for the trophy until they ran into the hosts in the last four. The third-place play-off between the two sides was a chance for them to show how far they had come. The game at the Ullevi delivered a high-scoring spectacle for the fans.
Fontaine put his side ahead in the 16th minute, but two minutes later, Hans Cieslarczyk levelled the score for the Germans. A Raymond Kopa penalty in the 27th minute put Les Bleus back in front before Fontaine’s second gave them control to make it 3-1 at half-time.
Five minutes into the second half and the game was put beyond Die Mannschaft with Yvon Douis scoring his country’s fourth goal. Germany pulled a goal back through Helmut Rahn‘s finish in the 52nd minute, but then Fontaine put them to the sword in the final quarter. He scored twice in the last 11 minutes on either side of a Hans Schäfer goal to finish the match with four goals to his name.
The bronze medal was a consolation, but it was the first World Cup medal in French football history. Fontaine ended the World Cup with 13 goals, a record that is yet to be broken.
1974: Poland 1–0 Brazil
In 1974, Poland produced arguably the greatest World Cup run in their history. They had started their campaign in a challenging group consisting of Italy and Argentina. But they stunned both of their more illustrious opponents alongside a 7-0 hammering of Haiti to finish top. The format of the tournament meant they had to take part in a second group stage where the top teams progressed to the final.
Another challenging group saw them pitted against West Germany, Sweden, and Yugoslavia. But Poland, led by Grzegorz Lato’s goals, won their first two games but fell to West Germany in a narrow 1-0 defeat. This set up a third-place playoff tie against defending world champions Brazil.
Brazil had finished second in the first group stage and despite improved performances in the second phase, a 2-0 defeat against the Netherlands ended their hopes of retaining the crown. The bronze final against Poland was a chance to go home with their heads held high.
Instead, it was the Biało-Czerwoni that clinched the third spot. A tight game was settled when Lato charged down the right wing, beat the Seleção defenders with pace and finished calmly past the goalkeeper in the 76th minute.
The goal took Lato’s tally to seven and saw him win the Golden Boot. This game perfectly summed up what the third-place playoff would become. A chore, perhaps, for the bigger teams, but for others a realistic target to highlight their progress.
1990: Italy 2-1 England
Italia ’90 marked a footballing renaissance for England. Since winning the 1966 World Cup on home soil, their best finish was a quarter-final place, and they had failed to qualify for two back-to-back tournaments in 1974 and 1978. Heading into the 1990 World Cup, manager Bobby Robson was under scrutiny and had made it clear that he would resign after the tournament.
Add in the hooliganism that plagued English football with unfortunate and notorious tragedies of Heysel and Hillsborough; the sport was starting to take a backseat in the country. The World Cup in Italy offered a chance for redemption.
England scrapped past the group stages with a solitary win over Egypt, having drawn against the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands earlier. The round of 16 saw David Platt’s late, late goal in extra-time secure a win over Romania before they beat Cameroon in a thrilling game 3-2 in the quarter-finals.
But just as when a nation expected history, the Three Lions suffered an agonizing penalty shootout defeat to West Germany. They were then scheduled to face Italy in the third-place playoff. The hosts had plain sailing to the semis with their strong defence holding them in good stead. Wins over Uruguay and the Republic of Ireland set up a semi-final against Argentina. But their lack of adventure hurt them as they too went out on penalties.
Thus, the clash for the third spot in Bari was something that neither the Azzurri nor England wanted. Yet, it carried significance for both teams. For Italy, it was the chance of bowing out with their heads held high in front of their home fans. For England, it was an opportunity to mark their best finish since the heady days of 1966.
Unlike the majority of the games in the tournament, this one was surprisingly entertaining. Perhaps, having nothing to lose, the pressure was off both teams.
After a goalless first half, the game burst into life with three goals in a spell of 15 minutes. Roberto Baggio scored the opening goal in the 71st minute, but David Platt levelled the tie 10 minutes later. However, a foul on Salvatore Schillaci led to a penalty, which he converted to give Italy the win and earn the Golden Boot.
1994: Sweden 4–0 Bulgaria
By the time the 1994 World Cup rolled around the shores of USA, Sweden’s glory days at the tournament were a distant memory. After finishing runner-up to the splendid Brazil team at home in the 1958 World Cup, their record had been poor. They failed to qualify for the next two editions and made it TO only three more tournaments, with their best performance a quarter-final finish in the 1974 edition.
But they had improved with a good crop of attacking talent at their disposal. Placed in a group with Brazil, Cameroon, and Russia, the Swedes went unbeaten to finish second. In the last 16, they beat Saudi Arabia before overcoming Romania in the penalty shootout in the quarter-finals with goalkeeper Thomas Ravelli the hero.
The team played with freedom and was a delight to watch with the attacking duo of Kennet Andersson and Martin Dahlin. However, their hopes of a surprise run to the final were ended by Brazil.
Their opponents for the third-place playoff were another surprise package- Bulgaria. They finished second in their group ahead of Argentina and then saw off Mexico in the last 16. They produced a stunning 2-1 win over Germany in the quarter-finals before losing by the same scoreline to Italy in the semis.
Thus, this bronze final carried much significance for both Sweden and Bulgaria. They had entertained their fans, and their run to the last four had drawn the attention of the neutrals. The showdown in Pasadena was to see which of the underdogs would take the bragging rights home. And it was the Blågult that put in a performance for the ages.
Per Tomas Brolin put them ahead in the eighth minute, and Håkan Mild made it 2-0 at the half-hour mark. By the 39th minute, they were out of sight, with goals from a young Henrik Larsson and Andersson giving them a 4-0 lead. They coasted to victory, and it was Sweden’s best finish at the World Cup since 1958 and continues to be their highest finish ever since.
1998: Croatia 2–1 Netherlands
Few nations have enjoyed a World Cup debut as successful as Croatia’s in 1998. They came to the tournament in France, having been an independent nation for only seven years. By the time they had played their last game, they had more than left their mark.
Playing in their iconic red-and-white chequered jerseys, they boasted a slew of talented individuals. Znonimir Boban, Robert Prosinecki, and above all Davor Suker led the charge. For this author, Suker’s name being on everybody’s lips was the first memory of a World Cup.
They beat Jamaica in their debut game and followed it up with a win over Japan. Despite losing narrowly to Argentina, they made it to the last 16. A Suker penalty helped them beat Romania and then came a memorable performance against Germany in the quarter-finals.
Goals from Robert Jarni, Goran Vlaović, and, of course, Suker saw Vatreni thrash three-time champions 3-0, Die Mannschaft’s biggest World Cup defeat in four decades. The semi-final against eventual winners France proved to be a step too far. However, it did set up a chance for a third-place finish in their debut campaign in a match against the Netherlands.
The game at Parc des Princes saw Croatia take the lead with Robert Prosinečki’s goal in the 14th minute. But eight minutes later, Boudewijn Zenden had drawn the Dutch level. But guess who stepped up to put Croatia ahead? That’s right, none other than Davor Suker in the 36th minute. The small European nation held on and recorded the best finish for a World Cup debutant since Eusebio’s Portugal in 1966. Suker won the Golden Boot with six goals.
2002: Turkey 3–2 South Korea
Just like Sweden and Bulgaria in 1994, not many expected Turkey and South Korea to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. This was the first time that the tournament was co-hosted and the first occasion it was taken to Asia.
Co-hosts South Korea topped their group with impressive wins over Portugal and Poland. In the last 16, they caused a huge upset when Ahn Jung-hwan scored the golden goal in extra-time to knock out Italy. They then overcame Spain on penalties to become the first Asian team to reach a World Cup semi-final. But a Michael Ballack goal for Germany knocked them out in the last four.
Turkey, meanwhile, were making their first appearance on the global stage since 1954. A three-nil win over China in the final group game secured their passage to the knockouts. And then, they eliminated co-hosts Japan in the last 16. A golden goal saw them beat the dangerous Senegal side in the quarter-final. Their surprise run came to an end in the semis at th hands of eventual winners Brazil. “
The third-place playoff game against South Korea in Daegu proved to be a highly entertaining affair. Hakan Şükür put The Crescent-Stars ahead in under 11 seconds, and it remains the fastest goal in World Cup history. Lee Eul-yong drew his side level with less than 10 minutes on the clock, but four minutes later they were behind again.
İlhan Mansız scored to make it 2-1 and then tightened Turkey’s grip on the game with a goal in the 32nd minute. South Korea did end up scoring a second goal in second-half stoppage time through Song Chong-gug, but it proved to be a consolation. The co-hosts had a tournament to be proud of, but it was Turkey that finished third, which remains their best finish at the World Cup.
2010: Germany 3-2 Uruguay
For Germany, the 2010 World Cup was another case of the same old story. German football had undergone a radical change after the disappointment of Euro 2004, and when they hosted the World Cup two years later, they had an impressive run until they were halted by eventual winners Italy in the semi-finals.
This was followed by a defeat in the Euro 2008 final to Spain. But many believed their time was coming when the tournament went to Africa for the first time. They topped their group despite a surprise defeat to Serbia. Die Mannschaft then thumped England and Argentina in consecutive knockout games to reach the semi-finals. Here, they were once again undone by Spain, who would go on to lift their first World Cup.
Their opponents for a third-place spot were the ridiculously good Uruguay side. The South American side were far removed from their glory days of two World Cup successes. In fact, they had qualified for only one World Cup in four attempts before the one in 2010.
But in South Africa, they became a cult favorite. Diego Forlan was bending the Jabulani ball at his will, and the nation was united behind a team that was changing the narrative. They topped their group and then beat South Korea in the last 16. This led to the infamous quarter-final against Ghana, where a Luis Suarez handball denied the African side a win before Uruguay triumphed on penalties. Oh, the drama, the scenes.
In the semis, they fell to an impressive Netherlands side but still had the chance to record their best finish since 1954. They met Germany for a third-place match in Port Elizabeth, and the game was eventful.
Germany took the lead through Thomas Müller in the 19th minute, but Edinson Cavani brought La Celeste level with a goal in the 28th minute. They then went ahead as Forlan had one more goal in him in the 51st minute. But Germany responded five minutes later as Marcell Jansen scored the equalizer.
A tantalizing game was settled in the 82nd minute when Sami Khedira scored the winner. Müller’s goal helped him win the Golden Boot and Germany finished third for the fourth time at a World Cup. For Uruguay, things haven’t gotten better than their fourth-place finish in South Africa.
So, yes, when France and England step out in the Miami Stadium on Saturday, the stakes may not be higher than what they were in the preceding games. Still, there is a lot to play for. Kylian Mbappe can still end up with the Golden Boot and give French coach Didier Deschamps a winning farewell.
There will also be a lot of eyes on Thomas Tuchel and England after the meek surrender in Atlanta against Argentina in the semis. A resounding defeat could raise more questions over the German coach’s future. But an equally impressive win will mean England’s best World Cup performance since Wembley 1966 and perhaps buy Tuchel some goodwill in the process.
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