France
Today's Talking Points
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1France finished the World Cup in fourth place after losing the third-place play-off 6-4 to England in Miami last night — genuinely one of the wildest scorelines of the whole tournament. Ten goals in a match both managers openly said they wished didn't exist is very on-brand for how that fixture always plays out.
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2Kylian Mbappé scored twice in the defeat and became the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer, taking his tally to 22 and passing Lionel Messi's previous record of 21. Slightly awkward timing — he made history in a match his team lost 6-4, so lead with the record, not the scoreline, and you'll sound like you know what you're talking about.
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3It was also Didier Deschamps' final game in charge of France after 14 years, during which he won the 2018 World Cup and reached the 2022 final. Bowing out with a 6-4 defeat in a play-off nobody wanted isn't the send-off anyone would have scripted, but a World Cup winner's medal means his legacy was never really in question.
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4France were already down to a patched-up defence, having lost William Saliba to a back injury in the semi-final loss to Spain. England took full advantage, with Bukayo Saka running riot — handy context for anyone wondering how a team this good let in six.
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5France arrived as reigning runners-up and one of the pre-tournament favourites; they leave in fourth after a semi-final defeat to Spain and a chaotic play-off loss. It's a comedown by their own recent standards, even if 'officially the fourth-best team on the planet' is still not a bad way to end a World Cup.
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Top thing to say down the pub
Mbappé became the all-time World Cup top scorer last night — 22 goals, more than Messi ever managed — and somehow still finished on the losing side of a 6-4.
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Avoid saying
"At least they racked up a good goal tally" — congratulating France on how many goals went in during a match they lost 6-4 is not the flex it sounds like, and any real fan will hear it as exactly the wrong takeaway.