In a thrilling 10-goal match at Miami Stadium on Saturday, England defeated France 6-4 to secure third place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
One of the most thrilling games of the tournament resulted from the match, as England quickly took a commanding lead in the first half before withstanding a valiant French comeback.
The highlight of the event was Bukayo Saka, who led the Three Lions with an incredible hat-trick. Taking full advantage of France’s defensive shortcomings, Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa both scored goals in the first half as England surged to a 4-0 lead.
After halftime, France put up an incredible comeback. Bradley Barcola added another goal and Kylian Mbappé scored twice to cut the margin to 4-3, setting up a tight conclusion. But before Jude Bellingham’s late goal sealed the win, Saka finished his hat-trick from the penalty spot to give England the lead again. France’s fourth goal came from Ousmane Dembré, but it was merely a consolation as England won 6–4.
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After losing to Argentina in the semifinals, the victory gave England their highest FIFA World Cup finish since winning the title in 1966 and gave their campaign a satisfying end.
Mbappé became the first male player since Gerd Müller in 1970 to score ten or more goals at a single FIFA World Cup, despite France’s loss, marking yet another personal achievement. Additionally, it was Didier Deschamps’ last game as head coach of France.
The 10-goal spectacle will be remembered as one of the most thrilling third-place matches in World Cup history, with England finishing the tournament on a high and France ending an impressive campaign in fourth place.