England secured third place in the World Cup 2026, defeating France 6-4 in a high-scoring bronze final held in Miami. The match saw Bukayo Saka achieve a hat-trick for England, while Kylian Mbappe made history by becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history.
Both teams entered the third-place playoff after suffering semi-final defeats. France was overcome by Spain, and England experienced a late collapse against Argentina. Despite the disappointment of not reaching the final, both squads made several changes for the match played in the heat of Miami.
First-half dominance by England
England took an early lead when Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice scored from distance in the third minute. Shortly after, Ezri Konsa extended England‘s advantage, heading in to make the score 2-0. France attempted to find a way back into the game, with Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise posing threats, but England‘s goalkeeper, Dean Henderson, was in strong form.
The scoreline grew further when Bukayo Saka netted his first goal, making it 3-0 after a swift break. Before half-time, Saka scored his second, bringing England‘s lead to 4-0. France coach Didier Deschamps described his team’s first-half performance as “catastrophic” in an interview with a French TV channel, urging his players to show pride in the second half.
France’s comeback attempt and Mbappe’s record
Deschamps made four substitutions at the start of the second half, introducing Ousmane Dembele, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Digne, and Bradley Barcola. These changes quickly paid off, as Mbappe scored his ninth goal of the tournament, surpassing Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot standings. The goal also marked Mbappe‘s first of the match.
The momentum shifted, and Barcola added another goal for France. Mbappe then scored his second goal of the game from an Olise pass, which not only further reduced the deficit but also made him the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with 22 goals, moving two ahead of Messi in the 2026 tournament’s top scorer race. France had several opportunities to equalize but failed to convert them.
Saka completes hat-trick, England secures third place
England was awarded a penalty after Malo Gusto fouled Djed Spence in the box. Bukayo Saka stepped up to convert the spot-kick, completing his hat-trick and extending England‘s lead once more. Although Dembele managed to score a fourth goal for France, Jude Bellingham sealed England‘s victory with an individual effort, marking the tenth goal of the match.
Bellingham‘s goal also made him the first England player to score seven goals in a single World Cup tournament. This third-place finish represents England‘s best result at a World Cup since their victory in 1966. Despite the achievement, the team will likely reflect on their semi-final loss to defending champions Argentina.
For France, the match marked the final game for manager Didier Deschamps, who had announced that this tournament would be his last after 14 years at the helm. Deschamps led France to World Cup glory in 2018 and a runner-up finish four years prior. The team was considered a favorite for the 2026 tournament after a strong start but was defeated 2-0 by Spain in the semi-finals.
The bronze final, often referred to as the ‘chocolate medal’ game, is an official World Cup match. England‘s manager, Thomas Tuchel, acknowledged that none of the teams wanted to play in the third-place game, as their aspirations were set on the final in New York. However, he emphasized that it was an official game and his team would give their all. The match kicked off at 5 p.m. ET at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
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Source: aljazeera.com
