England signed off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in unforgettable style, defeating France 6-4 in one of the most remarkable matches in World Cup history to claim third place.
The dramatic bronze medal match produced ten goals, stunning attacking football and several individual milestones, ensuring the Three Lions returned home with their best men’s World Cup finish since lifting the trophy in 1966.
England Race Into Commanding Lead
After the heartbreak of their semi-final defeat to Argentina, England responded with an electric first-half display.
Declan Rice opened the scoring before Ezri Konsa doubled the advantage, putting Thomas Tuchel’s side firmly in control early on. Bukayo Saka then took centre stage, scoring twice before half-time as England stormed into a remarkable 4-0 lead.
The Three Lions looked comfortable, producing some of their best attacking football of the tournament.
France Fight Back
France refused to give up after the interval and mounted an incredible comeback.
Kylian Mbappe sparked the revival with his first goal before Bradley Barcola added another to increase the pressure on England. Mbappe struck again to reduce the deficit to a single goal, turning what had looked like a one-sided contest into a tense finish.
His two goals also secured another historic achievement, taking his World Cup tally to 22 goals and making him the competition’s all-time leading scorer, moving ahead of Lionel Messi.
Saka Completes Hat-Trick
With France pushing for an equaliser, England found the decisive moment late in the game.
After Djed Spence was brought down inside the penalty area, Bukayo Saka confidently converted from the spot to complete a superb hat-trick and restore England’s two-goal cushion.
France responded once more through Ousmane Dembele deep into stoppage time, but England had the final word.
Jude Bellingham produced a brilliant solo run before calmly finishing in the 98th minute to seal a memorable 6-4 victory.
Historic Achievement for England
Bellingham’s goal was his seventh of the tournament, setting a new record for the most goals scored by an England men’s player at a single FIFA World Cup.
England’s victory also secured their highest World Cup finish since their famous 1966 triumph and marked their best-ever performance at a World Cup held outside England.
The ten-goal spectacle also entered the history books as the highest-scoring third-place match ever played at a FIFA World Cup.
A Positive End to an Impressive Campaign
Although England narrowly missed out on reaching the World Cup final, finishing third represents another significant step forward for the national team.
With emerging stars continuing to shine alongside experienced leaders, the tournament showcased the exciting future of English football.
For Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and their teammates, ending the competition with a historic victory over France provides plenty of optimism as attention now turns towards the next major international tournament.
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