Former France star Lizarazu brands World Cup third-place play-off ‘torture’ in attack on 2026 format

Former France defender Bixente Lizarazu has launched a stinging attack on the 2026 World Cup third-place play-off, calling the upcoming showdown between France and England “almost like torture” and questioning why the game is played at all.

The 1998 World Cup winner, now a pundit with French sports daily L’Equipe, has publicly backed England manager Thomas Tuchel and France centre-back Ibrahima Konate, both of whom have already said that “nobody wants to play” in the match.

“Playing this match is almost like torture,” Lizarazu said in stark remarks. “This is not the Olympic Games where you have gold, silver and bronze. Even second place has no value.”

He added: “The blow was very strong after the defeat against Spain. Everyone was dreaming of the final, and now this match is like torture.”

The comments further intensify scrutiny on FIFA’s insistence on a third-place fixture, long viewed by many within the game as an unwelcome epilogue to an exhausting tournament.

Turmoil in French camp after Spain defeat

Lizarazu’s intervention comes at a moment of deep instability for France, who were knocked out in the semi-finals by Spain and now find themselves in the midst of a major transition.

Head coach Didier Deschamps has announced his resignation in the wake of the loss, triggering widespread calls in France for a complete overhaul of the national set-up. Debate is already raging over the futures of several key players, including Ousmane Dembele and Adrien Rabiot, as the French Football Federation considers its next steps.

The third-place play-off against England, which in other circumstances might be framed as an opportunity for redemption, is instead being portrayed by prominent voices such as Lizarazu as an unnecessary burden at the tail end of a gruelling World Cup.

For many in the France camp, the emotional gap between aiming for the final and suddenly having to prepare for a consolation match has proved difficult to bridge.

Questioning the value of a ‘consolation’ game

Lizarazu argues that the physical and mental demands of a World Cup make the additional fixture unjustifiable, particularly when the reward is, in his view, minimal.

He believes the prize on offer does not match the toll on players’ bodies after a month-long tournament that has already stretched squads to their limits.

His stance mirrors that of a growing number of players and coaches who see the third-place game as an “extra weight” – an additional obligation with little sporting or emotional payoff. Critics say that, unlike in the Olympics where a bronze medal carries clear prestige, a World Cup third-place finish is rarely celebrated or remembered in the same way as lifting the trophy.

Supporters of the fixture argue it gives fringe players World Cup minutes and offers fans another high-level match, but voices like Lizarazu’s suggest sentiment inside dressing rooms is far more sceptical.

Wider debate over World Cup format

The controversy adds to a broader discussion around the expanded 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, which has already raised concerns about player workload due to a larger field of teams and more matches.

As the sport wrestles with how to balance commercial interests, broadcast demands and player welfare, the future of the third-place play-off is likely to face renewed questioning.

For now, France and England remain obliged to contest the match. But with senior figures such as Lizarazu, Tuchel and Konate openly dismissing its value, the game in 2026 may intensify calls for FIFA to rethink one of the World Cup’s most divisive fixtures.