England secure best World Cup finish since 1966 with 6-4 victory over France
Mbappe becomes all-time leading scorer as Deschamps’ tenure ends in chaotic final for both semi-finalists
England have secured their highest finish at a FIFA World Cup since their 1966 triumph, defeating France 6-4 in the third-place playoff of the 2026 tournament. The match, played in Miami under oppressive heat, concluded the campaign for both semi-final losers, with England boss Thomas Tuchel’s side capitalising on a dominant first-half display to establish an insurmountable lead before a late French resurgence.
England’s early control was evident from the third minute, when Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice scored from distance, followed by a header from Ezri Konsa to make it 2-0. Bukayo Saka extended the advantage with a swift break to make it 3-0, and added a second goal in first-half stoppage time, celebrated by Tuchel. France’s second-choice goalkeeper, Dean Henderson, maintained a strong performance, thwarting threats from Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise during the initial period.
France coach Didier Deschamps, who is stepping down after a 14-year tenure, described the team’s first-half display as “catastrophic” in post-match comments to French TV channel M6. He made four substitutions, introducing Ousmane Dembele, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Digne, and Bradley Barcola. The changes yielded immediate results, with Mbappe scoring his ninth tournament goal to move clear of Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot standings, followed quickly by a goal from Barcola.
Mbappe then completed his brace to become the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with 22 goals, surpassing Messi’s previous record. The match remained open as Dembele added a fourth for France, but England were granted a pivotal opportunity when Malo Gusto fouled Djed Spence in the penalty area. Saka converted the penalty to complete his hat-trick, restoring England’s three-goal cushion.
The victory was sealed in the 90+8th minute when Jude Bellingham scored the match’s tenth goal with an individual effort, becoming the first English player to score seven goals at a single World Cup. While England celebrated their best result since 1966, the win came with the bitter memory of their semi-final defeat to defending champions Argentina. France, who had been favourites for the title, were eliminated by Spain in the semi-finals. The tournament concludes on Sunday, 19 July 2026, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with Argentina facing Spain in the final.
