The heavy defeat of the French team against England (6-4) in the third-place match of the 2026 World Cup continues to spark reactions. While the Blues delivered a goal-filled spectacle, they left a strong impression of defensive fragility. This setback, marked by a disastrous first half, has drawn widespread criticism in the football world. Among the voices that have spoken out, Paul Pogba’s stood out. The former midfielder did not shy away from the significance of this defeat and provided a blunt analysis.
For Pogba, the result goes far beyond just a third-place match. The French international believes that wearing the France shirt demands a constant level of excellence, regardless of the stakes. According to him, the Blues faltered in several areas of the game and gave too much space to an English side that needed very few chances to make a difference. The 2018 World Cup champion reminded everyone that France must always show a conquering and disciplined face.
“Conceding six goals while wearing the France shirt is unacceptable. It doesn’t matter if it’s the third-place match or the World Cup final – our standards must be much higher than what we saw today.
“We made England look much better than they were. They deserved to win because they were more aggressive, more organized, and far more clinical in front of goal.
“What hurts me the most is the first half. Being down 4-0 at halftime is something we simply cannot afford at this level. We set ourselves a mountain to climb, and against a team like England, that’s almost impossible.”
Despite this tough start, Pogba still praised the response shown by the French after the break. Goals from Kylian Mbappé, who scored twice, along with Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola, helped narrow the gap. However, for the former Juventus and Manchester United player, this late reaction cannot hide the many shortcomings observed during the 90 minutes. He reminds us that great teams must be consistent from start to finish.
“Yes, we showed character in the second half. Mbappé scored twice, Dembélé and Barcola found the net, and we fought until the end. But football isn’t just played for 45 minutes. You have to fight from the first whistle to the last.”
🚨Paul Pogba on France’s humiliating 6-4 defeat to England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place play-off.
🗣️ Paul Pogba: “Conceding six goals while wearing the France shirt is unacceptable. I don’t care if it’s the third-place play-off or the World Cup final—our standards have… https://t.co/TsGt5Uy1KZ pic.twitter.com/OaeIKYmFRs
— SethOfficial (@UTD_Seth001) July 18, 2026
“Too many basic errors, too many players out of position, and not enough communication. England punished every mistake we made, and that’s what the best teams do.
“There are no excuses. Don’t blame the referee, don’t blame luck, and don’t blame fatigue. We need to be honest with ourselves. If we concede six goals, we have to take responsibility.
“This defeat should hurt because that’s the only way to improve. France is one of the greatest football nations in the world, and performances like this should never be acceptable. We owe our supporters much better than what we gave them today.”
