Former England cricketer and sports commentator Kevin Pietersen criticised the FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff, calling it the "most pointless game in football." His comments came after England defeated France 6-4 in a thrilling match to finish third at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Disappointing Loss In Semi-Final
Pietersen shared his views on social media after watching part of the match. He said he felt sorry for the players, who had only recently suffered the disappointment of losing their semi-finals.
He said, "Watched the first 20min of that 3rd place play off game last night. Felt so sorry for the players. What an absolute waste of their time! The most pointless game in football! After all the emotion of losing a semi and then THAT game. Horror!"
Social Media Reacts
When a fan replied that the players looked like they were enjoying themselves, Pietersen disagreed. He said the players would rather have been relaxing on holiday than playing a match that did not decide the World Cup title.
Record-Setting Game
Despite the criticism, the match itself was one of the most entertaining games of the tournament. England beat France 6-4 in a 10-goal thriller. Bukayo Saka scored a hattrick while Jude Bellingham added a brilliant solo goal in stoppage time to seal the win.
The game also saw several records being broken. France captain Kylian Mbappe scored twice to become the highest goal-scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 22 goals. Michael Olise also set a new tournament record with his seventh assist, going past Brazilian legend Pele.
Third-place Playoff Debate
Pietersen is not the only one who questions the need for a third-place playoff. Many former players and fans believe the match has little meaning because both teams have just missed out on the final. They argue that the players are mentally and physically tired after losing their semi-finals and would rather end their tournaments.
However, the victory still meant a lot for England. The team secured the bronze medal, giving them their best World Cup finish since winning the tournament in 1966.
