England ended their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on a high with a thrilling 6-4 victory over France to win the bronze medal in one of the most dramatic matches in the tournament’s history.
The Three Lions raced into a 4-0 first-half lead through Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and a brilliant first-half brace from Bukayo Saka, leaving France with a mountain to climb.
France responded strongly after the break as Kylian Mbappé scored twice and Bradley Barcola added another to reduce the deficit to 4-3. Mbappé’s goals saw him become the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history with 22 goals, moving one clear of Lionel Messi.
The France Captain also finished the tournament with 14 goal contributions, setting a new record for the most goal involvements by a player in a single FIFA World Cup.
England regained control when Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 87th minute after Djed Spence was fouled inside the box.
Ousmane Dembélé struck in stoppage time to make it 5-4 and set up a tense finish, but Jude Bellingham sealed England’s victory in the 98th minute with a brilliant solo goal.
Bellingham’s strike was his seventh goal of the tournament, making him the highest-scoring England player in a single FIFA World Cup.
Saka also enjoyed a memorable night. His hat-trick made him the star of the match and played a key role in helping England secure their best World Cup finish since lifting the trophy in 1966.
The result also gave England their best-ever World Cup finish outside home soil, while the 10-goal contest became the highest-scoring third-place match in FIFA World Cup history, breaking the previous record set when France defeated West Germany 6-3 in 1958.
Although France missed out on the bronze medal, Mbappé’s record-breaking performance ensured he left the tournament having rewritten the World Cup record books once again.
