England clinch World Cup third place after surviving France’s dramatic comeback
MIAMI - England signed off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in spectacular fashion, defeating France 6-4 in one of the most thrilling matches in World Cup history as Bukayo Saka’s superb hat-trick powered the Three Lions to a bronze-medal finish in an unforgettable third-place playoff at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The pulsating encounter produced the highest number of goals ever scored in a World Cup third-place match and the tournament’s highest-scoring game in more than four decades. England secured their best World Cup finish since lifting the trophy in 1966, while France’s spirited second-half comeback fell just short despite another historic performance from Kylian Mbappé.
Saka was the undisputed star, scoring twice before halftime and calmly converting a late penalty to complete his second international hat-trick. Declan Rice opened the scoring inside three minutes before turning provider for Ezri Konsa, whose header doubled England’s advantage. Saka struck twice in quick succession before the interval to hand Thomas Tuchel’s men a commanding 4-0 lead.
France, however, transformed after the break. Bradley Barcola ignited the comeback before Mbappé scored twice, taking his tournament tally to 10 goals and moving past Lionel Messi as the all-time leading World Cup scorer with 22 career goals. Ousmane Dembélé added another late strike as England briefly wobbled under relentless pressure.
With France threatening an extraordinary comeback, Saka restored England’s two-goal cushion from the penalty spot in the 87th minute before substitute Jude Bellingham sealed the victory deep into stoppage time with his seventh goal of the tournament, the most ever scored by an England player in a single World Cup. England manager Thomas Tuchel praised his exhausted squad for showing resilience after their heartbreaking semifinal defeat to Argentina.“We produced a brilliant first half and survived a turbulent second period,” Tuchel said. “The players have created something very special throughout this tournament.”
France coach Didier Deschamps, overseeing his final match after 14 years in charge, admitted his side paid heavily for a disastrous opening half despite an impressive revival after the interval.The defeat ended Deschamps’ remarkable tenure, while England departed the tournament with renewed optimism after an entertaining campaign that showcased their attacking potential.
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