Hello and welcome to Daily Mail Sport’s World Cup Breakfast from day 39 at the tournament – your one-stop shop for everything you’ve missed overnight in North America.
For all the latest news, viral moments and what to look out for, stay right here.
OVERNIGHT NEWS
England and France brought their World Cup campaigns to a close in bonkers fashion, with the Three Lions remarkably winning 6-4 in the third place play-off.
Outgoing France boss Didier Deschamps described his side’s first half performance as ‘catastrophic’ after they trailed 4-0 at the break, before battling back to 4-3 in the second half.
England ultimately sealed third place, their second best result at the World Cup, with Bukayo Saka scoring a hat-trick in the victory. Craig Hope wraps up the chaos here.
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England sealed their best ever World Cup finish by beating France 6-4 in the third place play-off
Looking ahead to the final, there was a blow for Spain after their final training session was cancelled due to severe thunderstorms in New York.
Luis de la Fuente’s men were due to train at Red Bull’s New York facility but their session was postponed before eventually being called off.
‘The Spanish national team’s training session at the Melanie Lane Training Ground in New Jersey has been suspended following the United States Storm Safety Protocol,’ the Spanish FA said in a statement. ‘The players are currently having an activation session at the indoor facilities.’
Argentina were also forced inside because of the weather but Lionel Scaloni’s team were able to train on the grass outdoors. Read more here.
VIEW FROM THE GROUND
As the day of the denouement dawns, there are so many games and moments and encounters to look back on – matches, too, like Brazil v Norway, Portugal v DR Congo, Ivory Coast and Germany v Curacao, too – each of which left such indelible memories for me.
But the part which will live longest in the mind was the few days away from the World Cup caravan, travelling deep into the American Football hinterland in search of an understanding of whether this new sport had cut through.
I hope I’ll make it back one day to Odessa, West Texas, six hours out from Dallas and see if soccer means anything to anyone at the gas station near the city limits where they were trying to catch the wave this summer.
They have their work cut out, given that the local school’s gridiron team there draws 20,000 and there’s not much room for another kind of football. But if a few of those kids who had collected some of the 42 ‘ballers’ which were on sale in the heady days of the group stage had been switched onto the sport, then that, multiplied across other out-of-the-way places, would truly be a legacy.
IAN HERBERT
TEAM OF THE DAY
Thanks as always to Sofascore for the graphic.
CELEBRITY WATCH
Justin Bieber will be one of the performers taking part in the World Cup final half-time show and the popstar warmed up for the event by joining the Fanatics Fest in New York.
The singer was seen playing table tennis with tennis superstar Novak Djokovic at the event, a four-day festival run by Fanatics in partnership with FIFA.
New York Knicks stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart were also at the event parading the NBA Championship trophy.
Novak Djokovic and Justin Bieber were seen playing table tennis at a Fanatics Fest event in New York ahead of the World Cup final
New York Knicks stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart paraded the NBA trophy at the event
VIRAL MOMENT OF THE DAY
Fans were quick to suggest Rayan Cherki symbolised France’s approach to the third place play-off after an image of the attacker flashed up during the second hydration break.
Cherki was seen casually lying on the ground with sliders on his feet and his back appearing to be propped up by a bag.
The France and Man City star had been handed his only start of the tournament in the match, but was one of four players hauled off at the break by Deschamps.
Rayan Cherki attracted attention for casually lying down as France were losing to England in the third place play-off
Jordan Henderson presents England’s training goalkeeper Jason Steele his bronze medal
England fans were also keen to highlight a ‘classy touch’ from Harry Kane and Jordan Henderson, after they beckoned Jason Steele over to receive his bronze medal.
Steele was not officially in England’s 26-man squad for the tournament, but has been with them throughout as a training goalkeeper.
PICTURE OF THE DAY
Here is the moment Kylian Mbappe scored his second goal against England in the bonkers third place play-off.
The goal put Mbappe clear as the World Cup’s all-time record goalscorer with the Frenchman having 22 goals in 22 matches, moving one clear of Lionel Messi’s tally.
Mbappe also moved two goals clear of Messi in the race for the golden boot at this World Cup.
Messi, of course, still has the chance to respond today…
Kylian Mbappe scores his second against England to become the World Cup’s record goalscorer
STAT OF THE DAY
England, remarkably, cruised into a 4-0 lead over France in first half of the third place play-off in Miami.
Curiously, the last time the United States hosted the third place play-off back in 1994… the score was also 4-0 at half-time as Sweden crushed Bulgaria.
Fans of the match ‘nobody wanted to play’, according to France defender Ibrahima Konate, will be eagerly awaiting the next time the United States host the tournament.
Opta also highlighted that it was the first time France have conceded four goals in the first-half since 1968.
THREE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR
1. Messi vs Yamal
Four years ago in Qatar, the final was largely viewed through the lens of a battle between Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
This time around Messi is given the headline billing alongside Lamine Yamal – who he remarkably bathed in that famous photoshoot back in 2007.
Yamal has effectively been the heir to Messi’s throne at Barcelona and will now be looking to usurp him on the world stage.
The teenager hoping to lift the World Cup on his first appearance, while Messi will be aiming to do so on his last.
While it would be reductive to suggest the final is simply a battle between the pair – given the likes of Rodri and Julian Alvarez will be on show – it does feel like Messi or Yamal will have a crucial say in the outcome of the final.
Lionel Messi will be hoping to lead Argentina to back to back World Cup triumphs
2. How will the half-time show be received?
FIFA are set to tear up football’s rulebook with broadcasters believing the World Cup final half-time show could lead to a break of 30 minutes, double the maximum time permitted.
The addition of the half-time show is among the most controversial moves by the governing body at the World Cup.
Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay are due to perform at the Super Bowl-style half-time show, which has been curated by Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin.
There will also be a closing ceremony show starting 90 minutes before the Sunday 8pm kick-off featuring Robbie Williams, Tom Cruise, and Nicole Scherzinger.
Given the addition of two, five-minute hydration breaks, it means the showcase fixture could take a staggering 160 minutes should it go to extra-time, not allowing for injury time and penalties.
FIFA have claimed they are aiming for 11 minutes for the half-time show.
It will be fascinating to see how the show will be received by fans at the match, with supporters having already made their feelings known by booing hydration breaks at the tournament.
Could any of the performers find themselves unexpectedly on the receiving end of a fan backlash to the show?
The likes of Shakira are set to perform at the half-time show at the MetLife Stadium
3. What will Trump’s role be in the World Cup presentation
‘I was scared s***less,’ Marc Cucurella admitted when asked about Donald Trump gatecrashing Chelsea’s Club World Cup celebrations last year.
‘We had been told that, as a rule, Donald Trump would come to present us with the trophy and that we couldn’t lift it until he left,’ he said.
‘And of course, we were all there waiting for him to leave, but the guy didn’t want to leave, and on top of that, we looked at him and he said, “Get him up, I’ll stay here, and so on.”
‘And I wondered who would say anything to him, you know… I was scared s***less!’
Trump’s appearance quickly went viral with the likes of Cole Palmer appearing baffled by his desire to remain on the stage during the presentation.
Donald Trump’s appearance at the Club World Cup final trophy presentation generated headlines last year and the US president will likely make more in the World Cup final
Cucurella could well have a similar experience on Sunday if Spain lift the trophy, with Trump set to present the prize to the winning team, with the US President attending his first match of the tournament.
The presentation of the World Cup was also controversial four years ago in Qatar, when Lionel Messi presented with a black bisht to wear for the lift by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Who knows what will happen when the World Cup is presented this time? Also, has anyone checked on Salt Bae’s whereabouts?
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