{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "England Down France 6-4 In World Cup Bronze Medal Classic As Mbappe Surpasses Messi's Scoring Record",
  "summary": "England beat France 6-4 in a stunning ten-goal World Cup bronze-medal match in Miami, as Kylian Mbappe overtook Lionel Messi's all-time World Cup scoring record and Didier Deschamps' 14-year reign as France coach came to a close.",
  "content": "A World Cup third-place match in Miami turned into one of the most extraordinary scorelines the tournament has ever produced, as England beat France 6-4 in a ten-goal bronze-medal contest on Saturday (local time). Both sides had arrived at Miami Stadium after semi-final exits, and France's captain Kylian Mbappe later admitted his side had been left completely rattled by the way England started the game, before Les Bleus fought their way back into it.\n\nEngland's First-Half Blitz\nEngland raced into a 4-0 lead inside the opening 45 minutes and never really let France settle. Declan Rice broke the deadlock in only the third minute, and defender Ezri Konsa doubled the advantage in the 18th minute. Bukayo Saka then took over the contest almost single-handedly, finding the net in the 37th minute and again in first-half stoppage time (45+1'), leaving France four goals down at the break, a scoreline no French side had ever conceded in a single half of a World Cup match before.\n\nMbappe: \"They Really Shook Us Awake\"\nSpeaking after the final whistle, Mbappe said, \"We were completely stunned, and they really shook us awake.\" He explained that although the first 45 minutes might have looked like the team failed to honour the France jersey, he preferred to describe it as simply being human at a moment the side could not afford to be. Mbappe added that the group felt for outgoing coach Didier Deschamps, since a poor opening half risked overshadowing what should have been a fitting farewell in his last match in charge of the national team, though he stressed the result would not damage the legacy Deschamps built with France over the years.\n\nMbappe Surges Past Messi As France Fight Back\nTrailing 4-0 did not stop France from pushing back. Mbappe scored twice early in the second half and Bradley Barcola added another soon after, dragging the scoreline back to 4-3 and turning what had looked like a rout into a genuine contest. Mbappe's brace carried extra significance beyond the match itself: it took his career World Cup tally to 22 goals, moving him past Lionel Messi to become the competition's outright all-time leading scorer.\n\nSaka's Hat-Trick And Bellingham's Late Blow\nJust when France appeared to have wrestled back momentum, England reasserted control. Bukayo Saka converted a penalty in the 87th minute to complete his hat-trick and restore England's cushion. Ousmane Dembele pulled one more goal back for France in the closing stages, but Jude Bellingham struck in stoppage time to confirm England's 6-4 win and secure the bronze medal for his side.\n\nThe End Of Deschamps' 14-Year Reign\nThe defeat also brought down the curtain on Didier Deschamps' 14-year reign as France manager. Deschamps took charge of the national team in 2012, led France to the World Cup title in 2018 and steered them to a second final in 2022, before this 2026 campaign ended with a semi-final loss to Spain and, now, a bronze-medal defeat in Miami to close out his long tenure at the helm.\n\nWhat this means for you\nFor football fans: The result confirms England as the World Cup 2026 bronze medallists and formally closes the Didier Deschamps era with France, while Kylian Mbappe's new all-time World Cup scoring record cements his standing among the game's greats heading into future club and international football.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. What was the final score of the World Cup bronze medal match?\nEngland beat France 6-4 in Miami to win the bronze medal.\n\n2. How many goals did England score in the first half?\nEngland led 4-0 at half-time, with goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and a brace from Bukayo Saka.\n\n3. Did Kylian Mbappe break any record in this match?\nYes, his two second-half goals took his World Cup career tally to 22, moving him past Lionel Messi as the tournament's all-time leading scorer.\n\n4. Who sealed England's win in the second half?\nBukayo Saka completed his hat-trick from an 87th-minute penalty, and Jude Bellingham scored in stoppage time to confirm the 6-4 win.\n\n5. What did this match mean for Didier Deschamps?\nIt was the final match of his 14-year reign as France coach, a tenure that included winning the 2018 World Cup and reaching the 2022 final.\n\n6. Did France come close to a comeback?\nYes, goals from Mbappe (two) and Bradley Barcola cut the deficit to 4-3 before England pulled away again in the closing stages.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/football/fifa-varlda-kapa-bronja-medala-mukabale-men-england-ne-france-ko-6-4-se-haraya-mbappe-ne-tora-messi-ka-rikorda-8637",
  "category": "Football",
  "publishedAt": "2026-07-19",
  "tags": [
    "FIFA World Cup 2026",
    "Kylian Mbappe",
    "England football team",
    "France football team",
    "Didier Deschamps",
    "Bukayo Saka",
    "Bronze medal match"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}