England secured third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating France 6-4 in a dramatic, goal-filled playoff at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, in one of the highest-scoring matches in World Cup history.
The match initially appeared to be a comfortable victory for England, who raced into a commanding lead during a dominant first half.
Midfielder Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute with a powerful strike from outside the box before defender Ezri Konsa doubled the advantage with a header from a Rice corner in the 18th minute. Bukayo Saka then scored twice in the closing stages of the first half, giving England a stunning 4-0 lead before the break.
France, despite naming several key players including Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, and goalkeeper Mike Maignan, struggled to cope with England’s relentless attacking play.
Coach Didier Deschamps had admitted before the match that his side had found it difficult to motivate themselves following their semifinal exit.
The second half, however, produced a remarkable comeback attempt from France. Mbappé scored just three minutes after the restart before Bradley Barcola reduced the deficit further to make it 4-2.
Mbappé struck again in the 66th minute to bring France within one goal, taking his tournament tally to nine goals and strengthening his lead in the race for the Golden Boot.
His second goal also marked his 22nd World Cup goal, moving him ahead of Lionel Messi on the competition’s all-time scoring list.
England regained control when Bukayo Saka converted a penalty after Djed Spence was fouled in the penalty area by Malo Gusto, completing his hat-trick and restoring a two-goal advantage at 5-3.
Saka became only the fourth England player to score a hat-trick in a men’s FIFA World Cup match.
France refused to give up, with substitute Ousmane Dembélé scoring in stoppage time to make it 5-4 and set up a tense finish.
However, Jude Bellingham sealed England’s victory two minutes later with the final goal of the match, ending France’s comeback hopes and confirming England’s bronze-medal finish.
The match produced 10 goals, making it the highest-scoring World Cup match since 1982. England’s victory also marked the country’s best World Cup finish in six decades, despite falling short of reaching the final after their semifinal defeat to Argentina.
Speaking after the match, Saka said England had enjoyed an outstanding tournament despite missing out on the title.
“Ultimately, losing to Argentina was difficult for all of us. It’s the same for the fans, but we have to keep our heads up, move forward, and focus on what comes next.”
Saka also dismissed criticism directed at England manager Thomas Tuchel, saying criticism is a normal part of football and should be used as motivation.
The result capped an entertaining end to England’s World Cup campaign, while France were left to settle for fourth place after an extraordinary contest that showcased attacking football from both sides.