TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - France coach Didier Deschamps has confirmed that Kylian Mbappe is ready to face England in the World Cup third-place playoff, keeping his chances of winning the Golden Boot alive.
"Whether they play or not, I have the duty as a head coach to do everything I can to reach tomorrow's objective. I hope that we do, and we must display all the efforts to do so," Deschamps said, as reported by ESPN on Saturday.
Mbappé has been one of the tournament’s standout performers, racking up eight goals. While this matches the tally of Argentina captain Lionel Messi, the French forward currently sits second in the race for the top scorer award due to fewer assists.
As goals scored in the third-place playoff still count toward the Golden Boot, the match against England offers Mbappe an opportunity to surpass Messi while securing a bronze medal for his country.
Despite confirming Mbappe will play, Deschamps will also make changes to the starting lineup for his final match as coach of the French national team, having led the team since 2012.
"I do not want to betray any discussions I had with the players. I do not have all the elements but, yes, I will substitute some players," said Deschamps.
The coach, who also lifted the World Cup as France captain in 1998, admitted that the match against England would mark the end of his long journey with Les Bleus.
He called managing the national team the greatest experience of his professional career. "I know that it's the last match and I don't want anybody to cry, and I don't think anybody here will cry," he said. "The French national team, with everything that it entails in my professional life, is the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me."
Meanwhile, French defender Ibrahima Konate admitted that the third-place playoff was not the target his team had hoped for after failing to reach the final.
"We wanted to play the final, but we are still representing France and it is the dream of many people to wear the shirt, the jersey, and sing the Marseillaise therefore we need to respect the jersey we're wearing," Konate said.
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