England secured the 2026 FIFA World Cup bronze medal after beating France 6-4 in a remarkable third-place playoff.
The thrilling contest at Miami Stadium produced ten goals, dramatic momentum swings and one of the tournament’s most entertaining matches.
England made a sensational start when Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute.
Ezri Konsa doubled England’s advantage in the 18th minute with a powerful header from a corner.
Bukayo Saka then struck in the 37th minute, giving England a commanding 3-0 lead.
Saka completed his first-half brace in first-half stoppage time, scoring in the 45th minute to make it 4-0.
France responded immediately after the interval, with Kylian Mbappé pulling one goal back in the 48th minute.
Bradley Barcola then reduced the deficit further in the 54th minute, leaving France within two goals.
Mbappé struck again in the 66th minute, completing France’s remarkable comeback and making the score 4-3.
England restored their two-goal advantage when Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 87th minute.
France refused to surrender, with Ousmane Dembélé scoring in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Jude Bellingham then sealed England’s victory with a goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
The final whistle confirmed England’s extraordinary 6-4 victory and secured their best World Cup finish since winning the competition in 1966.
The result was particularly significant after England had lost 2-1 to Argentina in the semi-finals.
France had also suffered semi-final disappointment, losing 2-0 to Spain before facing England in the bronze final.
England’s explosive attacking display was led by Saka, whose hat-trick proved decisive in the extraordinary encounter.
Rice also made a major contribution, scoring early before assisting Konsa’s 18th-minute goal.
France’s response was spearheaded by Mbappé, who scored twice and helped inspire a remarkable second-half fightback.
However, England survived the pressure and produced two late goals to finally settle the contest.
The victory gave England a podium finish and offered a memorable conclusion to their campaign in North America.
For France, the defeat ended a disappointing tournament on a dramatic night that also marked the end of Didier Deschamps’ tenure.
The 6-4 scoreline ensured the bronze final would be remembered as one of the highest-scoring matches in World Cup history.
England ultimately prevailed in a contest that repeatedly appeared settled before producing another extraordinary twist. (NAN)
