England signed off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in unforgettable fashion, defeating France 6-4 in a breathtaking third place playoff that rewrote the tournament record books on Saturday at Miami Stadium.
The England vs France encounter delivered the highest scoring World Cup match since 1982 and the most goals ever recorded in a third place playoff.
Bukayo Saka stole the show with a stunning hat trick as Thomas Tuchel's side claimed the bronze medal, their best World Cup finish since lifting the trophy in 1966 and their first medal won outside home soil.
Saka Sparks England's Flying Start
England wasted no time taking control. Declan Rice opened the scoring before Ezri Konsa doubled the advantage. Saka then struck twice before the interval, sending the Three Lions into halftime with a commanding 4-0 lead and leaving France chasing shadows.
The French response was fierce after the restart. Captain Kylian Mbappé dragged his side back into the contest with two goals, while Bradley Barcola also found the net as Didier Deschamps' men threatened one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup history.
England Hold Their Nerve
Just as France sensed an opening, Saka completed his hat trick from the penalty spot to restore England's cushion.
Jude Bellingham then capped the afternoon with a stoppage time strike, taking England's tally to six before Ousmane Dembélé added a late consolation for France.
Mbappé's brace carried its own significance. The French captain moved to 22 career World Cup goals, surpassing Lionel Messi's tally, while extending his lead in the Golden Boot race with 10 goals in the tournament.
Bellingham also etched his name into England's history books by finishing the competition with seven goals, the highest ever by an English player at a single FIFA World Cup.
Tuchel Urges Players to Value Historic Achievement
England manager Thomas Tuchel admitted the pain of missing the final remains fresh but insisted his players should eventually recognise what they achieved.
"It's the first medal for 60 years, the best World Cup on foreign soil," Tuchel said. "I hope that the players can be proud of that in some time."
"We are fiercely competitive, so we almost don't allow ourselves to be proud of third place because 18 months ago we set ourselves the highest goal, to make it to the final and win the World Cup. The pain will stay for a while." - Thomas Tuchel
The match also marked the end of Didier Deschamps' 14-year reign as France manager, bringing the curtain down on one of the most successful coaching eras in the country's football history.
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