Yes if it means the chance of winning the golden boot. For example, if germany lose tonight then they play in the third place match. You can bet your bottom dollar Klose would kill to play in that match just to beat Ronaldo's record!!!

I would think the match can also act as an experiment for the manager to play players who normally wouldn't start and see how they perform. So treat it a little like a friendly

If I was a player, absolutely. Pressure's off, chance to sign off with a win and thank the fans that made the trip. It tends to be an enjoyable spectacle considering it's been 40 years since the match had fewer than three goals scored, I can't see any reason for its demise outside the bizarre trend for 'should X be scrapped' that goes on here really.

Somehow I think Brazil might be in favour of scrapping it now

I think so, I feel that its pointless to establish a ranking of the teams in knock out tournaments. Because unlike a league where everyone places each other, a tournament only has the aim of determining the 'best' side - in theory at least - i.e. if you're deserving and good enough to win the tournament, then you should be able to defeat whatever opposition you're pitted against.

They should absolutely keep it, I'm really looking forward to watching Brazil get hammered again.

Just from reading the title, I thought this thread was made in response to today's game.

A Brazil v Argentina game will be interesting to see how the game flows!

I don't think there will be many players from today's Brazil team that will play on Saturday night

No, the 3rd/4th place match can often be more entertaining than the final. No pressure as no-one really gives a shit, just two top quality teams playing a game of football.

In other words its a friendly.

I thought the third place match was the most entertaining of the last World Cup. In this tournament, it's existence seems like pure cruelty.

Wonder how Brazil will play this game - they'll be keen to save face and at least put on a good performance particularly if its against Argentina.

Will they tell those players who "performed" last night to go out and try to atone for their efforts or will the reserves play?

The reserves will play no doubt.

I don't think I've ever watched one and wouldn't care at all if it was scrapped.

That's not me saying it should be scrapped, just that if it was I wouldn't miss it.

In my opinion, it should most definitely be scrapped. Nothing can be won with it, it's utterly pointless. It doesn't make things any better for the winner. That there is often attractive football on display doesn't really matter. Scrap this match and there are 63 other matches left in the tournament, with always at least a number of attractive games. Why force 2 teams who just saw their dream of winning the World Cup shattered to play each other? These players just want to go home, let them go home instead of forcing them to stay for a friendly, because that's all it is.

I'm Dutch, if we lose tonight I'd be absolutely gutted. I really won't give a sh*t then whether we'd finish 3rd or 4th. It would make absolutely no difference. I probably wouldn't even bother watching the game. And even if it would've been against Germany instead of Brazil, I still wouldn't have bothered with it. Winning it wouldn't suddenly make me feel less gutted, I wouldn't feel even slightly happier.

Get rid of it!

Can take it or leave it as regards watching it. The only reason it's played is to generate more cash for FIFA. UEFA had the sense to scrap it after the 1980 tournament. Both teams deflated after a losing a semi final. There have been some entertaining games with the pressure off but it's just above the status of a friendly match. As pointed out, nobody gives a damn what team finishes 3rd or 4th except the office sweepstakes!

This^.

Personally I consider it meaningless, and so does everyone who plays in it. There's no achievement or pride in being the best loser and no-one ever remembers who won it.

You're all just bitter because England never comes 3rd

I'm sure Turkey, Croatia and Germany (in 2006) took pride in coming third. Just to mention a few.

I'm Dutch and I also think it's pointless. I totally didn't care about losing that match in 1998, I wouldn't have taken any more pride in the tournament if we'd have won that game, it wouldn't have made the slightest difference to me. And I can't imagine it would make any difference to most teams in that match. I won't watch it if we're in it, unless I've really nothing better to do. It's nothing more than a glorified friendly between 2 teams who don't really want to play any more.

That's only true for teams who expected to play in the final. Some teams are excited about making the semi-finals for the first time and want to make history by coming 3rd because it will most likely be their last chance to do so. Obviously, that wouldn't apply to either team in the upcoming semi-final tonight. However, if it's Argentina v Brazil, I think the match will matter to both.

How would becoming 3rd make it any better than being able to say you've reached the semi finals as an underdog? Sorry, but I think that arguement is rubbish.

Anyway, I never expected us to reach the final at any stage in this tournament, I still see Argentina as favourites for tonight. We also reached the semi finals as outsiders, I fully expected us to get knocked out in the group stage and I'm very proud of the team for getting this far. If we lose tonight I will still be proud, but my pride wouldn't be any bigger if we'd win that pointless third place game, neither would it be any smaller if we'd lose it. I'm proud of how far we got, but if we lose tonight I'd still be gutted and wouldn't care about the 3rd place and I probably wouldn't watch it.

BIB - because you are 3rd best in the world rather than 4th best? Like I said, it was a big deal to Croatia, Turkey and Germany in 2006 because they felt like they at least ended their campaign on a win rather than a devastating loss in the semis.

No one forces people to watch the match, so I don't really understand why it's necessary for it to be scrapped If you don't like it, don't watch it. That goes for all football matches.

P.S. Since you are Dutch, I'm going to let you off on this one, as I'm a big Dutch supporter (if Italy are out of the tournament) and Dutch fans are the best in the world anyway Holland deserve their first World Cup win. It's not going to be easy against Argentina or Germany, but I think they can just about do it.

I don't think there it matters even in the slightest whether you'd finish fourth or third. Just scrap the game and say both losing semi-finalists share the third place and nobody would care that the are not "really" third. As Croatia, Turkey and Germany had to play that game they still tried their best. I'm sure that after losing their semi-finals they'd rather have gone home and not play that match at all.


I would like to see it scrapped as it pointless in my eyes. After a devastating semi-final loss the players just want to go home. Also, in my opinion this goes against the principle of the world cup. All games are competitive except for this one (and the odd dead rubber group game, but that really can't be prevented), so it really should be scrapped in my opinion.


Haha, thanks for that.

Yes - definitely.... shocking waste of time, even worse than those "Robbie Williams" Charidee games they have at Old Trafford every year. I wouldn't watch it if it was in my back garden.

Seems a bit pointless, not as if you can win a bronze medal.