England defeated France 6-4 in a dramatic FIFA World Cup third-place match in Miami on Saturday, capping a remarkable contest that produced 10 goals, several records and a late French comeback that ultimately fell short.
Thomas Tuchel’s side appeared to be cruising after establishing a commanding first-half lead, but France mounted a spirited fightback inspired by Kylian Mbappé before England held on to secure the bronze medal.
Saka shines with hat-trick
Bukayo Saka was England’s standout performer, scoring a hat-trick, including a late penalty that restored his side’s two-goal advantage after France had threatened an unlikely comeback.
Jude Bellingham also found the net twice, while England’s attack proved too much for a French defence that struggled throughout the opening half.
Despite trailing heavily at the break, France emerged transformed after halftime. Bradley Barcola sparked hopes of a comeback before Mbappé took centre stage with another historic performance.
Mbappé sets World Cup record
The French captain scored twice to take his overall World Cup tally to 22 goals, surpassing Lionel Messi as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
His goals also moved him to the top of the Golden Boot standings with 10 goals at the 2026 tournament.
Ousmane Dembélé added another late strike to reduce the deficit, but Bellingham responded almost immediately to extinguish France’s hopes before the final whistle.
Several records fall in Miami
The thrilling encounter produced a series of milestones, including:
- The highest-scoring World Cup match since 1982.
- Kylian Mbappé becoming the highest goalscorer in World Cup history.
- Bukayo Saka joining the exclusive list of players to score a World Cup hat-trick.
- Jude Bellingham becoming the first England player to score seven goals at FIFA World Cups.
- Michael Olise surpasses Pelé’s World Cup assist record.
Tuchel praises England’s resilience
England manager Thomas Tuchel praised his players for overcoming fatigue to secure victory.
“We had a brilliant first half and then a turbulent second half,” Tuchel said after the match.
“We are so tired and drained from the last weeks. The mentality that we showed going through all the adversity is absolutely brilliant.”
The German coach admitted he had concerns about England’s physical condition because of a demanding schedule and extensive travel during the tournament but said he never doubted his team’s determination.
“I have said it before, this team has created something very special, and they showed it again,” he added.
Attention turns to the World Cup final
Following England’s victory, attention now shifts to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, where Spain will face Argentina in New York New Jersey Stadium to decide this year’s champions.
England leave the tournament with the bronze medal after one of the most entertaining matches of the competition, while France depart having played their part in a classic World Cup encounter despite falling just short of an extraordinary comeback.
