Ratings reveal France's painful fourth place as Deschamps bows out

France’s 4‑6 loss to England in the World Cup third‑place play‑off sealed a fourth‑place finish and marked Didier Deschamps’ 185th and final match as head coach, leaving the French side frustrated despite a spirited second‑half rally and Kylian Mbappé’s standout performance. Deschamps’ swansong ended in a frustrating defeat, even though the team displayed impressive character by clawing back from a first‑half humiliation. The French side managed only a couple of tame, easily saved shots before the break. England dominated the opening half, tearing France apart as the French back four kept a ridiculously high line and struggled to break into runs. Four goals came: a poor Désiré Doué pass that left Declan Rice unmarked, Adrien Rabiot outjumped at a corner, a lapse in the French back line, and another moment of French laxity through the middle. At halftime Deschamps made four changes, fielding a different side that turned the tide. Dayot Upamecano set the tone with proactive defending, and Michael Olise’s seventh World Cup assist launched Mbappé’s comeback goal.

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Mbappé scored two goals and provided an assist, taking his tournament tally to ten and becoming the World Cup’s all‑time leading scorer with 22 goals in 22 games. His haul also puts him in a strong position to retain the Golden Boot for a second consecutive tournament. England later restored a two‑goal advantage from the spot after a clumsy challenge by Malo Gusto. France pressed for a late equaliser, with Ousmane Dembélé finally scoring, but England held on to seal the win.

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The ratings gave Dayot Upamecano a six for his game‑changing aggression, while Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise also earned six for their contributions. Mike Maignan, Lucas Digne and Warren Zaïre‑Emery received five, and the struggling defenders Ibrahima Konaté and Théo Hernandez were rated two and one respectively. Deschamps can take pride in his squad’s second‑half resurgence despite the defeat, though the first‑half collapse offers lessons for the future. The match closed France’s World Cup campaign in fourth place.