England edge France 6-4 in historic thriller to secure FIFA World Cup 2026 bronze medal

England signed off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with the bronze medal after edging France 6-4 in a sensational third-place play-off at Miami Stadium on Saturday (local time), in a match that also marked the end of Didier Deschamps’ remarkable 14-year reign as Les Bleus head coach.

The 10-goal spectacle became the highest-scoring third-place play-off in World Cup history, with Bukayo Saka stealing the show through a stunning hat-trick as the Three Lions secured their best World Cup finish outside England since lifting the trophy in 1966.

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Thomas Tuchel’s side dominated the opening 45 minutes, racing into an astonishing 4-0 lead. Declan Rice struck inside three minutes before Ezri Konsa doubled England’s advantage in the 18th minute. Saka then delivered two quickfire goals in the 37th minute and first-half stoppage time, handing France the unwanted record of conceding four goals in the opening half of a World Cup match for the first time.

France, however, produced a spirited comeback after the break. Deschamps’ halftime changes transformed the contest as Kylian Mbappe pulled one back in the 48th minute before Bradley Barcola reduced the deficit further six minutes later. Mbappe struck again in the 66th minute to make it 4-3, piling pressure on an increasingly nervous England.

The French captain also etched his name into the record books. His second goal of the night took his FIFA World Cup tally to 22, surpassing Lionel Messi’s 21 to become the competition’s all-time leading goalscorer.

England regained control late in the contest when Saka converted an 87th-minute penalty to complete his hat-trick and extend the lead to 5-3. Ousmane Dembele responded deep into stoppage time for France, but Jude Bellingham had the final word, scoring in the 90+8th minute to complete an unforgettable 6-4 victory and secure the bronze medal for England.