Miami, July 19: England signed off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in spectacular fashion, defeating France 6-4 in a thrilling third-place playoff on Saturday to claim the bronze medal.
The 10-goal contest had everything: early domination, a dramatic comeback attempt and a historic individual milestone, as France captain Kylian Mbappe became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.
Bukayo Saka was England’s hero, netting a hat trick, while Jude Bellingham added the final goal to cap an entertaining evening at Miami Stadium. Despite the defeat, Mbappe stole part of the spotlight by scoring twice to take his World Cup tally to 22 goals, surpassing Lionel Messi’s previous record of 21.
England wasted no time asserting themselves. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute before defender Ezri Konsa struck twice. Saka then added two more goals before halftime as Thomas Tuchel’s side stormed into a stunning 5-0 lead, exposing France’s defensive frailties.
France looked beaten at the break, but they produced one of the tournament’s best fightbacks after halftime. Mbappe sparked the revival with two clinical finishes before Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele also found the net. Suddenly, England’s once commanding advantage had been cut to 5,4 and the momentum had swung in France’s favour.
Just when France sensed an unlikely equaliser, Saka calmly converted a penalty in the 87th minute to complete his hat-trick and restore England’s two-goal cushion. Bellingham then sealed the result with England’s sixth goal in stoppage time.
The victory handed England their best World Cup finish since lifting the trophy in 1966 and gave Tuchel’s squad a positive ending after the heartbreak of their semifinal defeat to Argentina.
For France, the defeat marked the end of Didier Deschamps’ 14-year reign as national team coach. Although disappointed with the result, Deschamps praised the fighting spirit shown by his young squad in the second half.
Mbappe’s record-breaking performance was the major consolation for Les Bleus. Besides becoming the tournament’s all-time leading scorer, the French forward finished the competition with 10 goals and remains the favourite to win the Golden Boot. If Lionel Messi fails to equal that tally in Sunday’s final, Mbappe will become the first player to win the World Cup Golden Boot twice.
All Eyes on Final
The tournament now reaches its climax with defending champions Argentina taking on European champions Spain in Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It promises to be one of the biggest World Cup finals in recent memory, featuring Lionel Messi in what is expected to be the final World Cup match of his remarkable career against an unbeaten Spanish side led by teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.
Argentina are chasing back to back World Cup titles after lifting the trophy in Qatar four years ago, while Spain are aiming to win their second World Cup and first since 2010. The Spaniards have impressed throughout the tournament with disciplined defending and fluid attacking football, while Argentina have relied on Messi’s leadership and their ability to deliver in knockout matches.
Spain will look to dominate possession through their midfield, while Argentina are expected to rely on Messi’s creativity and quick transitions. The battle between Spain’s organized defense and Argentina’s attacking quality could determine the destination of football’s biggest prize.
With history, legacy and the World Cup trophy at stake, fans can expect a final worthy of the occasion.
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