England football legend Alan Shearer has criticised FIFA’s decision to stage a third-place playoff at the 2026 World Cup, describing the match as unnecessary and driven by financial interests.
France and England are scheduled to face each other in Saturday’s bronze match, just days after suffering semi-final defeats.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Shearer questioned FIFA’s commitment to player welfare, noting that both teams are being asked to play again shortly after their disappointment in the last four.
“Nonsense, rubbish, pathetic. FIFA are going on about player welfare, hydration breaks and all that. Do you think player welfare is taken into account when both teams have lost and within three or four days, they’re being asked to play a meaningless third and fourth-place play-off?” he said.
The former England captain argued that the fixture exists primarily to generate additional revenue.
“What is the purpose of this match? It exists solely for one reason: to generate more revenue. It is, therefore, pathetic,” Shearer added.
The bronze match could also have implications for the Golden Boot race, with France’s Kylian Mbappe and Argentina’s Lionel Messi currently tied on eight goals, while England duo Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have scored six each.
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