France and England squaring off for that elusive bronze medal is a classic case of “better luck next time” spun into headline gold by the corporate media. Networks like CNN and BBC revel in the drama, shoving the narrative that this match somehow matters as much as the World Cup final itself. Let’s be real: no one is tuning in for the third-place match to witness a thrilling spectacle. This is more like a consolation prize for teams that fell flat, and yet, the media is pushing it like it’s the Holy Grail of football.

Fox Sports will hype this up, echoing sentiments about “pride” and “redemption.” What’s next, a feel-good montage of sad French and English fans waving their flags like they still have a shot? They’ve done it before—cozying up to the idea that these athletes somehow owe their fans a great show after losing to the true contenders. The underlying truth? This matchup is about as necessary as a one-legged man at a butt-kicking contest, and the media is shamelessly ignoring this reality.

This constant reshaping of narratives by networks serves a larger agenda—to keep the audience hooked, generating clicks and engagement off of second-rate storylines. It’s all about generating revenue rather than providing meaningful sports analysis. The spectacle pushes patriotism while diverting attention from bigger issues in the sport itself, such as corruption and inequality. Where’s the media coverage on that? Instead, we get a glossed-over narrative that aligns with the broadcast schedules, all for the sake of ratings. Talk about priorities!