Croatian legend, Davor Suker, has slammed England head coach Thomas Tuchel, stating that he is ‘talking nonsense’ after the coach suggested that his team ‘does not want to play’ in the World Cup Bronze match against France.
England is set to face France in Miami, with an opportunity to achieve their best World Cup finish since their victory in 1966.
It is understandable that the excitement surrounding the third-place play-off, now referred to as the Bronze match by FIFA, is low, as both the Three Lions and Les Bleus are still recovering from their semi-final defeats to Argentina and Spain.
There have been calls to remove the third place game from the roster, and it remains uncertain whether Tuchel will field his strongest lineup or opt for squad rotation.
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Ahead of the match, the German coach stated that neither team was eager to participate in the game and his remarks upset Suker.
The former Real Madrid and Arsenal forward led his nation to a third-place finish in the 1998 World Cup, scoring the decisive goal in the play-off, which also earned him the Golden Boot ahead of Ronaldo.
When asked about Tuchel’s statements, Suker responded, as reported by Goal, “I believe the wealthy do not wish to play when they experience defeat.
“Some have so many trophies and are so rich that this match means nothing to them.
“My message to them is to be quiet, to respect all 211 participants, and to understand that the world doesn’t belong only to them.
“The world also belongs to the medium-sized nations, the small ones, and those who simply enjoy football.”
England stars Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham find themselves in a similar position to Suker, where a few goals in the Bronze match could earn them the Golden Boot.
Both are two goals behind their rival tonight, Kylian Mbappe, who in turn trails Argentina captain Lionel Messi’s tally of eight goals and four assists, with the final still to play.
“This match can be very important,” Suker continued. “After 1998 and the game against the Netherlands, we fought for third place, and today I can speak about it with pride.
“Whoever wins third place, I assure you that in 20 years, when they are older, they will certainly remember that bronze medal.
“That’s why, in this whole story, coach Tuchel isn’t important. He’s talking nonsense.”
