Koundé criticizes the third place final: "It's a match that doesn't

Koundé criticizes the third-place final: "It's a match that doesn't

According to Tuttomercatoweb.

Context

Jules Koundé, defender of the French national team, expressed his disappointment after the defeat in the third place final of the 2026 World Cup. His critical analysis of the match and the emotional pressure it represents could influence the team's approach in future competitions. With the focus now on the next World Cup, Koundé and his teammates are looking to redeem themselves and show more consistent football.

Why this matters

Jules Koundé's criticism of the 2026 World Cup third-place final reflects growing dissatisfaction among players about the relevance of this match. France's 6-4 defeat to England not only frustrated the athletes, but also raised questions about the emotional pressure these games can cause. For the French team, which aims to perform better in future World Cups, this experience could serve as a valuable learning experience.

Main conclusions

• Koundé criticizes the third place final: "It's a match that doesn't.
• Jules Koundé commented on France's defeat against England in the World Cup third place final, expressing doubts about the need for such a match.
• France, Koundé controls the finale for the third post: "È una partita che non dovrebbe esistere".

Jules Koundé, defender of the French national team, analyzed France's bitter defeat to England in the third-place final of the World Cup, which ended with a surprising score of 6-4. In an interview with the newspaper _L'Equipe_, Koundé did not hide his disappointment, especially regarding the team's performance in the first half. "We had a very, very bad first half for several reasons. In the second half, we managed to be much more similar to what we should represent with the France shirt. But that wasn't enough, even though we produced several opportunities. We are all disappointed in ending the competition with yet another defeat and in not being able to give our coach a victory", said the player. Asked about the validity of the dispute for third place, Koundé was direct: "The main regret is that we are not in the final. This is a difficult match to play. Personally, I believe that it should not even happen, because for an athlete it is very complicated to enter the field after having prepared with a single objective: the final". Despite his opinion, the defender made a point of highlighting that this cannot become an excuse: "That said, we should have done better. Overall, we left a positive image and people had fun watching us, but ending like this leaves a bitter taste." During the second half, France managed to improve their performance, something Koundé attributed to the impact of Dayot Upamecano, who entered the game. He commented: "There was also a question of pride. We couldn't finish like this, 0-4 at half-time. That wasn't acceptable for a team like ours. Dayot brought that spirit, made agreat tournament and he did very well tonight too." Finally, Koundé reflected on Didier Deschamps' long cycle as France coach. "It's important to remember where he got this selection from. Both from a sporting and image point of view, France was going through a difficult time. Over the years, he rebuilt everything together with his technical team and all the players who came through here", he highlighted. Koundé also shared what the coach's last speech in the locker room was like: "He was emotional. He thanked everyone for the years together, for this competition and for what we did. At group level, everything was very positive and we managed to provide a lot of emotions for the French. That counts too."

What happens next

After the bitter defeat, France, led by Koundé and other players like Dayot Upamecano, must restructure and focus on their next competitions. With the 2026 World Cup approaching, the team will need to learn from the mistakes made and improve their performance. The expectation is that the coach will use this experience to prepare the team for future challenges and seek a prominent place in the next World Cup.