6 FIFA World Cup 3rd place playoffs that were extremely entertaining

It is the game no one wants to play in, a position no one wishes to be in. But many world champions have been here before. Germany have won it 4 times, Sweden, France, Poland and Brazil twice, and Uruguay have the record of losing it the most, but no team at the start of the world cup would want to end up playing in the 3rd place playoffs of the FIFA World Cup.

Yet Belgium and England find themselves in this situation. After the failure to get into the final of the World Cup and the disappoint and horror and heartbreak, they have to inspire themselves to put their best foot forward and leave one last impression on the tournament. Belgium and England have met 22 times in total till date, with England winning 15 of them and Belgium 3. In the World Cup, these teams have met three times, with one win each. The last time they met was in the group stages of the World Cup this year, when Belgium won by a solitary goal.

Belgium and England have both played 6 games in the World Cup so far, with Belgium winning 5 and England 4. Belgium have scored 14 goals in this tournament, the most as of now, while England have scored 12. Even though this game with see the top scorer of this tournament with 6 goals, Harry Kane, pitting himself against Romelu Lukaku, who is second on that list with 4 goals, both set of players will have a lack of desire and heart that a defeat in the semi-final and the subsequent broken dreams bring.

But for all the disinterest and absence of inspiration to play in the 3rd place world cup games, there have actually been quite a few thrillers in this tie in the 20 World Cups so far. Traditionally, this tie has been played one day before the main event, probably to keep the viewers engaged and ready. It is like the starter that tugs on our taste buds and prepares us for the main course. But as history suggests, many times, the introduction, the precursor to the World Cup final have been fantastic games of football and we look back at 6 such games which were hugely entertaining affairs.

---

#6 Germany vs Austria, 1934 World Cup, Italy

Germany and Austria logged head for the 3rd position in the 1934 World Cup, on 7th June 1938. In the semi-finals, Germany had been defeated by Czechoslovakia courtesy of a brilliant Nejedly hattrick, and Italy had defeated Austria by a solitary goal scored by Guaita.

Against Austria, Germany went ahead in the very first minute, thanks to Lehner’s goal. Conen doubled Germany’s lead in the 27th minute, but Austria fought back immediately, with Horvath scoring for them. Lehner increased Germany’s lead by scoring 3 minutes before half time. Even though Sesta scored for Austria 9 minutes into the second half, Germany held on.

Played at Stadio Giorgio Ascarelli in Naples, the game was attended by 7000 people and ended with the full-time score of 3-2 to Germany’s favour. Germany’s Conen ended the World Cup as the second highest goal scorer of the tournament with 4 goals.

#5 England vs Italy, 1990 World Cup, Italy

Italy and England faced each other at Comunale, Bari on 7th July 1990 in a game attended by 51426 people, thanks to the host nation playing. The game swung into life in the 71st minute, owing to a rare error by the oldest player of the tournament, England’s goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who gifted Italy’s Roberto Baggio an easy opportunity to score. David Platt headed home the equalizer for England 10 minutes later, but just a couple of minutes later, Salvatore Schillaci was brought down in the penalty area, with the referee awarding Italy with a penalty. Schillaci got up, dusted himself and scored his 6th goal of the tournament, helping him win the Golden Boot as well as the Golden Ball.

With Italy going on to win the game 2-1, England’s only consolation was the FIFA Fair Play Award. Peter Shilton retired from International Football after the tournament.

#4 Germany vs Uruguay, 2010 World Cup, South Africa

In the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup, Netherlands defeated Uruguay, in a pulsating encounter that ended 3-2 and Spain defeated Germany by a single goal. This set up an exciting encounter between Germany and Uruguay at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, on 10th July 2010.

In a game attended by 36254 people, Germany took an early lead through a Thomas Muller goal in the 19th minute. Edinson Cavani levelled the score within 10 minutes and the first half ended with the game evenly poised. Diego Forlan put Uruguay ahead 6 minutes into the second half, only for Marcell Jansen to level the scores again 5 minutes later. However, a Semi Khedira goal in the 83rd minute ensured that the game ended in Germany’s favour. Final score, Germany 3-2 Uruguay.

Thomas Muller would go on to win the Golden Boot and the Best Young Player of the Tournament. Diego Forlan won the Golden Ball.

#3 Sweden vs Brazil, 1938 World Cup, France

Sweden and Brazil faced each other at Parc Lesense, Bordeaux, with 12000 people in attendance. In the semi-finals leading up to the game, Hungary had demolished Sweden, with the game ending 5-1. Brazil, on the other hand, were defeated by Italy in a narrow 2-1 victory.

On 17th June 1938, Sweden started the game brightly against Brazil. Jonasson gave them a lead in the 28th minute, while Nyberg doubled the score 10 minutes later. Just before the break though, Brazil got a goal back through Romeu. The first half ended with the score 2-1 in Sweden’s favour. In the second half, Leonidas scored two goals in a space of 10 minutes to give Brazil the lead for the first time in the game. In the dying minutes of the game, Peracio increased Brazil’s lead. The game ended 4-2 in the favour of the Brazilians. Leonidas, with 7 goals in the tournament, won the Golden Boot.

#2 Belgium vs France, 1986 World Cup, Mexico

In the World Cup where Diego Maradona introduced himself to the world, there was an absolutely amazing 3rd place playoffs between Belgium and France. In the semi-finals, France had lost by a 2-0 margin to West Germany, whereas Belgium had lost by the same score to Argentina.

On 28th June, 1986, Belgium faced France at the Estadio Cuauhtemoc, Puebla, with 20000 eager fans in attendance. 11 minutes into the first half, Belgium had their lead through Ceulemans. France equalized in the 27th minute through Ferreri and went ahead themselves when Papin put the ball into the Belgium net 2 minutes before the break. At half-time, France were leading 2-1. But in the second half, Belgium came back strong and equalized through Claesen in the 73rd minute. With the score evenly poised at 90 minutes, the game went into extra time. Just a minute before the end of the first half of extra time, France went ahead through a Genghini goal. 6 minutes into the second half, Amoros scored France’s second goal and sealed Belgium’s fate. The score at the end of the game was 4-2. While Gary Lineker won the Golden Boot and Diego Maradona won the Golden Ball, Belgium’s Enzo Scifo won the best young player.

#1 France vs West Germany, 1958 World Cup, Sweden

France and West Germany played out perhaps one of the most entertaining games of this tie and in fact, one of the most entertaining games in the history of the World Cup. In the semi-finals of the 1958 World Cup, Brazil defeated France 5-2 and Sweden defeated West Germany 3-1, thus settling up this fascinating encounter between two European nations on 28th June 1958 at Ullevi, Gothenburg, with 32483 people watching from the stands.

France went ahead in the 16th minute, with Just Fontaine scoring his 10th goal of the tournament. But Cieslarczyk levelled the scores for West Germany just 2 minutes later. France were awarded a penalty, which Kopa converted successfully in the 27th minute. 9 minutes later, Fontaine scored his 11th goal of the tournament to give France a 2-goal lead. The first half ended with the score at 3-1 in France’s favour. 5 minutes after the break, Douis scored to put France 4-1 up. 2 minutes later, Rahn scored one for West Germany to reduce the margin. West Germany would have liked to believe that they could come back in the game, but in reality, with the score at France 4-2 West Germany, it was turning out to be a one-man show. Just Fontaine of France scored his 12th and 13th goal of the tournament, either side of a Schafer goal for Germany, to finish the game with 4 goals. The final score of the game was France 6-3 West Germany. Just Fontaine won the Golden Boot, with 13 goals. No one has scored these many goals in the history of the World Cup and his record stands till date.