England edge France 6-4 in record-breaking World Cup bronze medal thriller
England beat France 6-4 in the World Cup 2026 third-place play-off at Miami Stadium, with Bukayo Saka scoring a hat-trick. The result gave England the bronze medal in a record-breaking third-place match and marked France coach Didier Deschamps' final game.
- Jul 19, 2026,
- Updated Jul 19, 2026, 9:16 AM IST
- Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa gave England a commanding early advantage
- Saka scored twice before half-time as France collapsed defensively under pressure
- Deschamps' interval changes sparked France, with Mbappé and Barcola reducing arrears
England signed off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a dramatic 6-4 victory over France to secure the bronze medal in a pulsating third-place play-off at Miami Stadium on Saturday (local time), with Bukayo Saka's hat-trick inspiring the Three Lions in the highest-scoring match ever played in a World Cup third-place fixture.
Thomas Tuchel's side produced a dominant first-half display, racing into a stunning 4-0 lead before the break. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute before Ezri Konsa doubled England's advantage in the 18th minute. Saka then struck twice in quick succession, finding the net in the 37th minute and in first-half stoppage time as France conceded four goals in a single half of a World Cup match for the first time.
France responded strongly after the restart in what was Didier Deschamps' 187th and final match in charge. Tactical changes at half-time transformed Les Bleus, with Kylian Mbappé reducing the deficit in the 48th minute before Bradley Barcola added another six minutes later.
Mbappé struck again in the 66th minute to make it 4-3, raising hopes of an unlikely comeback. His second goal also saw him overtake Lionel Messi to become the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history with 22 goals, while strengthening his position at the top of the Golden Boot standings with 10 goals in the tournament.
England regained control late in the contest after earning a penalty in the 87th minute. Saka converted from the spot to complete his hat-trick and restore a two-goal cushion.
The closing stages produced further drama as Ousmane Dembele scored for France deep into stoppage time, but Jude Bellingham responded almost immediately with England's sixth goal in the 90+8th minute to seal an extraordinary 6-4 victory.
The result secured England's best World Cup finish on foreign soil since lifting the trophy in 1966 and capped their tournament with a memorable attacking display in one of the competition's most entertaining matches.
