England secure historic third place with 6-4 victory over France

England have secured their best men’s World Cup finish since winning the tournament in 1966, defeating France 6-4 in the third-place playoff match held in Miami on Saturday, 18 July 2026. The 10-goal thriller concluded the tournament for both nations, marking the end of Didier Deschamps’ tenure as France manager and serving as the final World Cup appearance for Kylian Mbappé.

England established early dominance in the fixture, taking a commanding 4-0 lead through goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and a brace from Bukayo Saka. Saka’s performance included a hat-trick in the high-scoring encounter, underscoring England’s offensive capability during the first half. France’s defensive line struggled to contain England’s attackers, particularly in the opening stages of the match.

France mounted a significant comeback after the restart, reducing the deficit to 4-5 with goals from Kylian Mbappé, Bradley Barcola, and Ousmane Dembélé. The French side showed improved stability following the break, having been considered favourites for the title prior to the match, but they were unable to equalise against Thomas Tuchel’s organised side.

The victory was sealed in the 90+8th minute when Jude Bellingham scored the match’s tenth goal with an individual effort. Bellingham’s strike marked his seventh goal of the tournament, making him the first English player to achieve this feat at a single World Cup. The late goal effectively ended any hope of a French draw and confirmed England’s podium finish.

While England celebrated their best result since 1966, the victory came with the memory of their semi-final defeat to defending champions Argentina. France, who had been eliminated by Spain in the semi-finals, saw their record-breaking era under Deschamps conclude with this defeat. England will now look ahead to the final, scheduled for Sunday, 19 July 2026, in New Jersey.