England secure third place at 2026 World Cup after dramatic victory over France

England have secured third place at the 2026 World Cup, defeating France 6-4 in the third-place playoff held in Miami on Saturday. The match presented a stark contrast in fortunes, with England leading 4-0 at halftime before France mounted a significant second-half comeback. Despite the late pressure, the English side held on to conclude their tournament campaign with a victory.

Stand-in captain Declan Rice, who led the squad in Miami, described the group as the best England has fielded in a long time. Rice acknowledged the disappointment of the semi-final exit to Argentina but emphasised that reaching the final four is a significant achievement. He noted that the team is weary of exiting major tournaments at the quarter-final or semi-final stage and believes that sustained success is now within reach.

The victory came in the wake of England’s 2-1 semi-final defeat to Argentina in Atlanta. That match saw Lionel Messi score twice, continuing his dominance on the world stage and bringing his career World Cup tally to 17 goals. Messi remains the tournament’s leading scorer with eight goals, a mark he shares with France’s Kylian Mbappé.

Mbappé was instrumental in France’s attempt to salvage pride, scoring his ninth and tenth goals of the tournament during the second half. The French side had trailed 4-0 at the interval but managed to reduce the deficit significantly. However, England’s defence held firm to secure the 6-4 result, ending France’s campaign.

The 2026 World Cup final will feature Spain against Argentina, marking the first time the reigning European champions have faced the holders of the Copa América in a World Cup final. Spain reached the final by defeating France in the semi-finals, continuing a recent trend of dominance over their French opponents, having won three consecutive matches against them in major tournaments including the 2024 European Championship.