England claimed third place at the 2026 World Cup by stunning France with a sensational 6-4 victory in one of the most exhilarating matches in tournament history, a breathlessly attacked affair that produced ten goals, a dramatic reversal of fortunes and non-stop forward pressure.
From the first whistle at the sold-out stadium in Miami, England were rampant as goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and two from Bukayo Saka in the opening half saw the Three Lions storm into a 4-0 lead. Kylian Mbapp’s double led France’s thrilling comeback in the second period, with Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé also on the scoresheet to halve the deficit.
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But Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot before late replacement Jude Bellingham sealed the deal to end the French comeback.
Manager Thomas Tuchel fielded an experimental side to give some of his players match practice, yet still witnessed an impressive attacking performance that sealed England’s best World Cup finish since 2018’s semi-final run.
While his team were beaten on four occasions, England’s cutting edge in attack proved crucial in a fixture that had more of the feel of a showcase event than a third-place playoff. France, meanwhile, saw a spirited effort led by Mbappé go unrewarded as his double took his tally to 10 goals in the tournament.
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Mbappé’s brace, meanwhile, made him the highest scorer in a single World Cup since Gerd Müller in 1970, yet ultimately, the brilliance of one individual was not enough to paper over the cracks at the back for Didier Deschamps’ side.
