Are third-place playoffs still important?
At various World Cups and other national tournaments (Copa America to name a few), the third-place playoff is something that’s given little thought, with the majority of fans shunning the game in favour of the showpiece final, but I believe the match still holds relevance, and for me, is just as important as the final, and not something which should be scoffed at as the “losers final”.
In Summer 2019, Phil Neville labelled the match as “nonsense” following England’s bronze final defeat to Sweden at that year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, with the pundits nearside having to “rescue” him. I had my head in my hands after watching him remark that. Had he done his homework (which he didn’t), he wouldn’t have said that, as four years previously in Canada, The Lionesses reached their all-time best of World Cup achievements by beating Germany (which they celebrated).
Sticking with England, I remember at the 2018 World Cup, English pundits were labelling the third-place playoff as “pointless” and a “waste of time”. I thought to myself, “hang on, England hasn’t finished in the top four of a major tournament since Euro 96, and of a World Cup since Italia 90, why are you turning your noses up at a match any smaller nation would give an arm or a leg to play in”?! Typical English arrogance…
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I get that not making the final is a disappointment, and the psychological battle beaten players have to go through to get “psyched up” once again to play is difficult, but still, the attitude surrounding the playoff isn’t to my liking, and its up there with players receiving silver medals, then taking it off immediately (I’m looking at you England Rugby and Manchester United). Bronze medals should be received with dignity, just as New Zealand did at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Winning bronze can be something to shout about. To recall again, the Lionesses reached third place at the 2015 World Cup in Canada and celebrated like they won the tournament. That shouldn’t be seen as “embarrassing” in the slightest, but a feat which should be commended. Nowadays, achieving third place would be seen as a disappointment, given what they’ve achieved since, but they shouldn’t have an attitude of “we don’t care” or “its nonsense” should they fall short of the final at a major tournament.
Most major tournaments have third-place playoffs, with the European Championship and Cricket World Cup among the few which has no such match. For me, I like having to know which losing semi-finalist will come third. I know some fans may see the contest as “banal”, but for nations such as Morocco, playing in the contest is something they’ll cherish for a long time, especially as they’ll forever be known as Africa’s first semi-finalist (could’ve been Ghana in 2010, but oh well).
Over to you
What do you think of bronze finals? A key feature, or just a glorified friendly? Why do some nations think such a game is beneath them?
