The FIFA World Cup bronze final is the tournament’s third-place match, pitting the two losing semifinalists against each other. The winner receives the bronze medal while the loser is recorded as fourth and receives no medal, according to ESPN.
Also referred to as the third-place playoff, the fixture was introduced in 1934 and has been contested at every men’s World Cup since 1954.
The match has produced some of the tournament’s most memorable moments. In 1958, Just Fontaine scored four goals in France’s 6-3 victory over West Germany in the bronze final; Fontaine finished that tournament with 13 goals, the record for the most in a single World Cup.
Another notable instance came in 2002, when Turkey’s Hakan Şükür scored 11 seconds into the third-place match against South Korea. That strike helped Turkey to a 3-2 victory and remains the fastest goal in World Cup history.
Third-place match results at every FIFA World Cup are: 2022 — Croatia 2, Morocco 1; 2018 — Belgium 2, England 0; 2014 — Netherlands 3, Brazil 0; 2010 — Germany 3, Uruguay 2; 2006 — Germany 3, Portugal 1; 2002 — Turkey 3, South Korea 2; 1998 — Croatia 2, Netherlands 1; 1994 — Sweden 4, Bulgaria 0; 1990 — Italy 2, England 1; 1986 — France 4, Belgium 2; 1982 — Poland 3, France 2; 1978 — Brazil 2, Italy 1; 1974 — Poland 1, Brazil 0; 1970 — West Germany 1, Uruguay 0; 1966 — Portugal 2, Soviet Union 1; 1962 — Chile 1, Yugoslavia 0; 1958 — France 6, West Germany 3; 1954 — Austria 3, Uruguay 1; 1938 — Brazil 4, Sweden 2; 1934 — Germany 3, Austria 2. For the latest coverage and updates, see the ESPN FIFA World Cup hub page.
