What Consolation?

July 7th, 2006 | by: Tom Barry |

Sunday is the day when football supporters around the world will watch Italy and France battle it out to see who gets the right to proclaim themselves World Cup victor for the next four years. Which means that Saturday will be the conciliatory match between the two best performing losers of this year’s tournament. I have come to despise the very existence of the consolation game. It is pointless, it is demeaning, and it carries with it no benefit other than as a way to pack a little more advertising in to the run up to the championship.

The very name “consolation match” is a sort of olive branch to the teams who, while performing admirably, weren’t quite of the caliber to make it to the championship. That’s fine. While it is no doubt disappointing, there is no shame in being eliminated in the semi-finals. But the consolation game implies that Portugal and Germany need a shoulder to cry on, someone to pat them on the back and say “It’s okay, you’ll get ‘em next time.”

Both of these teams had tremendous performances this year, as I’m sure the players and their native fans know, and I have little doubt that the citizens of their respective nations are proud of their achievement and the professional manner in which the teams conducted themselves. But the fact is that, no matter how well they played, they are now in the same boat as the other twenty-eight teams who were eliminated prior. Does anyone outside of the countries represented know who finished third or fourth in 94 or 98? More importantly, does anyone care?

So while I appreciate FIFA’s attempt to fill the three-day void between the semi-finals and the championship, I cannot bear to watch two great teams do battle in what will no doubt be a great match, knowing that they are being used simply as a sideshow, an opening act for the main event on Sunday. They are better than that.

The World Cup is not a children’s spelling bee where everyone gets a ribbon for a job well done. It’s not a tournament to see who is better than whom. It’s a tournament to see, simply, who is the best. And while it may not seem fair and justified, especially when your team is no longer in the running, when all is said and done, everyone falls into one of two groups: the champions and everyone else.

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http://ecuador.worldcupblog.org/ Trent

If I were playing in it, yeah, I’d be pretty pissed. But as a fan, another (last) chance to see old man Figo, maybe see some up-and-comers get some World Cup experience. I like it.

I can’t complain about an extra 90 minutes of football in my life.
CC

Well said. I agree 100%. Nevertheless, I’ll still watch the game on Saturday if only to enjoy some good football between two excellent teams.
John

I’ll dissent a bit, although overall I agree with your tone. The one reason I’d want to play in the consolation game in a World Cup would be to get my young guys some experience on the biggest stage in football. I’d play my starters if they say they want to play, but I’d start the benchwarmers wherever I could squeeze them in. Then I’d sub out the older starters who are not likely to be around in 4 years pretty early and get their probable replacements in 2010 some valuable World Cup playing time.
Sudarshan

Very good article and well said. Unfortunately, thats the negative part of the world cup matches and to a certain degree it makes the worldcup interesting too.

Both the teams, Germany and Portugal, played excellant football in this worldcup and they deserve to be proud of their thrilling matches. I believe in this world cup the consolation match will be more interesting and fun to watch than the final one.
Gavin

Can Portugal really be proud of the “the professional manner in which [they] conducted themselves”? If Australia played like they did I’d be ducking fisgusted, semis or no semis!

I don’t care who wins third place, but hopefully it will be entertaining.
SCrebel

I don’t have the same feeling about consolation games as Tom. This is for third place in probably the biggest athletic event in the world. As an athlete who’s competed in many tournaments, being able to play another game/match after losing in the semi’s would be great. Heck, I still miss the third place game that they used to play in the NCAA basketball tournament. I think Portugal and Germany are excited about playing as are their fans.
Griff

I guess the 3rd place games come from the olympic mentallity of sports where someone has to win the bronze metal, but for the worldcup it really doesn’t make that much sense.
Mystique

Germany, I believe is mostly excited about their team coming to Berlin to party on Sunday. Though they did not make it all the way, the country loves their “mannschaft” and they are so proud because every achievement was an honest achievement… and unexpected on top of it. Well organized World Cup and great Mannschaft…. They will go far. That is my feeling (they have to get a little older…very very young and inexperienced but they played with heart all the way…)
sumyung gei

I simply Like the idea of seeing your favorite team/country play one more game after losing in the Semis. thats more than what can be said about the other unfortuante 28 teams behind them. Even though it’s not a game for the Final championship, nevertheless it’s ONE more game those countries get to play in this World cup, and Im sure lots of us wanted to see out teams/countries play at least another game before they were eliminated. World Cup finals come around every four years and they only last a month, within that Month I believe you can never have enough World class matches. Yes it might be a “sideshow” match, it might not be “the one that matters in the history books” neverless, It will be as exciting and fun to watch as any other match before AND even after it. Cheers to Germany and Potugal on Saturday.
sumyung gei

Typos discovered in my above post:

“…lots of us wanted to see OUR*( not “out”) teams/countries play at least another game…”

and…Portugal* but not Potugal

sorry its been a long day and I’m tired
pao

the consolation match is often very enjoyable because they teams are lighthearted. And still it is important. I can recall every winner of the conoslation matches i witnessed, in 1978 Brazil over Italy, in 1982 Poland over France, in 1986 France over Belgium, in 1990 Italy over England, oooops I can’t remember in 1994 i was focusing on the final, anyway it was a Sweden-Bulgaria deal, in 1998 hey i am tired i am not typing anymore. Goodnight.
sumyung gei

yes I forgot to mention also, what pao just said, it is definitly more of a “friendly” match not just with the players and there opponenets on the field, but also among opposing fans, it is indeed a lighthearted match, where since it is not a battle for the final championship, naturaly the teams tend to have respect for each other more than “all or nothing” matches.
http://canada tony

heres a thought, instead of a 3rd place game, if fifa really wants some extra ad money or hype, whatever, how about the game that never was but we all wish did? it could be decided by a worldwide vote or an official panel, it would be an exciting concept, the most hated team vs a team eliminated controversially, or the worst performing team vs the best that didnt go through etc, etc, all but the finalists would be eligible,??? just a thought. posted from canada, (cant seem to get the flag)..
http://deleted Karl

I understand where you’re coming from but….
How about S. Korea/Turkey in the 2002? Tell me the fans didn’t care about that! Perhaps the third place match does work best when the host nation is involved! The Germans might even agree with you that the third place match holds little consolation but I bet that will end right after kick-off and nobody will be thinking about defeat until the final whistle blows. It is a good opportunity to see two great teams play again, plus they tend to play more attractive soccer now that the pressure is off. Besides, what is the alternative? Having no matches till match until the final? I’ll take the third place game.
Gus

How about deciding the Golden Boot winner? From what I can remember, Toto Schillacci (1990) and Davor Suker (1998) both got their last (and deciding) goal of the tournament in a Third Place Match, and went through to win the golden boot. I don’t know how many times that has happened (The 3rd place match deciding the golden boot), but I’m pretty sure those players felt more consoled by being the top goalscorer than by their country getting 3rd place :)
SumYung Gie

that’s true, if lets say Miroslav Klose scores two goals in this match he migt very well win the golden boot award, Go Klose!
futbol

Well, I would love to see ARG – GER re-match.

It’s going to be an awesome game…
Freddy

C’mon stop complaining! One more game to watch – what are we dissenting about – more games to watch means more excitement and more action – pow wow!! I would say there will be more skills showcased in such matches!! Ironic but true.

To make the match interesting, FIFA should issue special trophies to 2nd and 3rd place winners to make the games more exciting. No trophy, no romping!
Freddy

I like Toni’s idea. Something like the American idol stuff – vote your favorite 2 teams (who are not playing in the finals) to compete in and have a special cup offered!! I think the world is going “interactive”. Imagine US$0.50 per vote – how much would FIFA made out from such a gimmick!!!
Perhaps, they will also afford titanium and platinum soccer balls afterwards.
Vico

In spite of agreeing 100% with Toni’s reasoning in why there shouldn’t be the consolation game…I like that as of today there are still two games left in the tournament and not just one. So I’ll be watching! It’s going to be sad when there is none for another 4 years…
http://www.3kilos.co.uk James

I love the 3rd/4th place games, anyone remember Seden v Bulgaria in 94!!
sourav

Sorry Tom, don’t agree. Its better being third than fourth and chances are this will be a better game than the finals since both teams will be out to prove a point about their abilities and the consequence of losing does not hang like an albatross around the neck.
Should be a good one
Lalrinchhana ‘R.Cho’ Tochhawng

Yes the name itself is so consolidatory, but what the heck, it’s always one cracker of a game. As Pao has mentioned I remmber all the past 3rd and 4th placed teams from the time I could remember such a phenomena happened once every four years, i am 29, and had since followed the world cup from Espania 1982.
*PaTtI*

umm..well there’s only one thing i can say now…GERMANYYY GOO..get 3rd place…better than nothing at least they made it this far..duhh!
Pruritus

Pahh!
I like the Consolation-Games.
Its just fun, its just football, its just sport. Do you really think thats pointless?

Im glad to see Olli Kahn the Titan playing in the goal for a last game.
mara1ona

How many coutries start off in the World Cup tournament? Hunderds if not thousands

Of course there should be a 3rd place.
squiggle

I disagree. Who wouldn’t rather finish 3rd than 4th? Silly to call it a consolation match, though.
Samuel Knight

Consolation Match is an astounding stupid name. Bronze Medal match would be more like it.

3rd best team in the world – that should be huge. And yes, as a fan I always liked it when my team made the semis because that meant you got to watch your guys two more times guaranteed!

And yes it is played as a friendly – and given how many stupid friendlies you have – is that a criticism?

But FIFA does an awful job in framing what should be the match between 2 of the best teams in the world.

Maybe give the 3rd place team – front row tickets to the final?
dirk

At first I thought a third place game wouldn’t be worth playing and I wondered what value it really has, but the more I think about it, the more I want to get a chance to see the Mannschaft play one more game in this world cup. I think both Germany and Portugal will come to play.
Mystique

Okay, you guys talked me into it. I will watch Saturday’s game and keep my fingers crossed for Les Bleus on Sunday…. Then all Germans may have to say to Klinsi, or?
diego

I think there is a difference in the prize $$$ awarded to 3rd and 4th place in the “cosolation” game.
Plus, independent of that, I believe that for a country that has never won the cup, or ever gotten to the finals, it makes a HUGE difference to say: “we managed to finish 3rd in 1962″ as opposed to “we were 4th in 2002″ as this is most likely the highest football accolade your country has.
Ask any fan of Chile, or Portugal, or Bulgaria, or Turkey or Korea if it doesn’t matter.
sumyung gei

very well said Diego (especially the end)
Arthur

well, due to some injuries it’s the mannschaft minus 4 key players, but i’m confident that, in his last game, the titan will keep his net clear
tuanny

Yes, the match for 3rd place is a sideshow or prelude for the Main Event a day later, and a fill-in so we don’t have too many days go by without a game. But I don’t think it’s demeaning for the two teams to play. Now knowing they’re not gonna win the Big Trophy, both teams should be more relaxed, and probably play entertainingly, as Turkey and South Korea did in 2002. Also, it’s always fun to have the host country making this match, as South Korea did then and Germany does today. Something for the natives to cheer about.

Besides, this match makes the total 64, which, well, sounds better than 63.
Bolso

Some of you guys talked about an interactive vote, but most nations have already left the country by the time the teams playing in this match would be picked. By the end of the semi finals, only 4 teams remain in the host country. You’d have to make them come back and stuff, or make all countries stay just in case they are picked..nonsense. Nice idea, though. I like what diego said, made me change my mind on this 3rd place match.