England secured bronze at the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a stunning 6-4 win over France in the third-place play-off at the Miami Stadium on Saturday (local time), a result that prompted UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to publicly praise the Three Lions.
A Record-Breaking Encounter
The 10-goal thriller has gone down as the highest-scoring third-place play-off in modern World Cup history. Bukayo Saka's hat-trick outshone a brace from Kylian Mbappe as England secured their best World Cup finish on foreign soil since 1966. The sheer number of goals underlined just how open and attacking this year's bronze-medal fixture turned out to be, with both sides trading blows from start to finish.
England Race Into a 4-0 Lead
England dominated the opening 45 minutes, leaving France shell-shocked with a 4-0 lead at half-time. Declan Rice put England ahead inside just three minutes, before defender Ezri Konsa doubled the lead in the 18th minute. Saka then took over, scoring twice in quick succession in the 37th and 45+1st minutes. It marked the first time France have ever conceded four goals in a single half of World Cup football, a statistic that showed how completely England controlled the first period.
France Roar Back After the Break
The second half brought a dramatic turnaround. It was the 187th and final match in charge of France for manager Didier Deschamps, and his half-time substitutions sparked a furious response from his side. Mbappe struck in the 48th minute, and Bradley Barcola added another six minutes later to make it 4-2. Mbappe then found the net again in the 66th minute to pull France within a single goal, putting England under intense, sustained pressure as the momentum swung firmly in France's favour.
Mbappe's second goal of the night also carried historic weight. It took his career FIFA World Cup tally to 22 goals, one clear of Lionel Messi's 21, making him the highest goalscorer in World Cup history. With 10 goals in this tournament alone, Mbappe also emerged as the clear frontrunner for the Golden Boot.
Saka's Hat-Trick Penalty and Bellingham's Late Sting
Just as the game appeared to be slipping away from Thomas Tuchel's side, England found a lifeline. A late counter-attack earned an 87th-minute penalty, which Saka converted calmly to complete his hat-trick and restore a two-goal cushion at 5-3.
The drama continued deep into stoppage time. Ousmane Dembele pulled one back for France in the 90+6th minute, but Jude Bellingham had the final word, scoring in the 90+8th minute to complete an extraordinary 6-4 victory and cap off England's FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on a high note.
Starmer Hails the Team
Reacting to the result on X, Starmer wrote, "Great result tonight @England. You've done us proud."
