England secured third place at the 2026 World Cup after a chaotic 6-4 victory over France on Saturday. The high-scoring encounter, played in the oppressive heat of Miami, saw both teams look to salvage a result following disappointing semi-final exits; France had been outplayed by Spain, while England suffered a late collapse against Argentina.
Both managers opted for significant changes to their starting lineups. England coach Thomas Tuchel left Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham on the bench, while France’s Didier Deschamps, in his final match after 14 years in charge, omitted Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola.
England took control early when Declan Rice scored from distance in the third minute, followed by an Ezri Konsa header to make it 2-0. Despite pressure from Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise, England’s second-choice goalkeeper Dean Henderson remained in top form. Bukayo Saka extended the lead to 3-0 before netting his second of the game in first-half stoppage time, prompting a celebratory fist pump from Tuchel.
Deschamps described the first-half performance as "catastrophic" and introduced four substitutes at the break, including Dembele, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Digne, and Barcola. The changes provided an immediate spark as Mbappe scored his ninth goal of the tournament, moving him past Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot standings. Barcola then pulled another goal back for France.
Mbappe netted his second of the match to reach 22 career World Cup goals, officially becoming the all-time leading scorer in tournament history. However, England regained their cushion after Malo Gusto fouled Djed Spence in the penalty area, allowing Saka to convert from the spot and complete his hat-trick. While Dembele scored a fourth for France, Jude Bellingham added an individual goal to finalize the score at 6-4, becoming the first England player to score seven goals in a single World Cup.
The result marks England's best World Cup finish since their 1966 title victory. France, who won the tournament in 2018 and were runners-up in 2022, now look ahead after a tournament where they were considered early favorites. The 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain is scheduled for Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
And it was 4-0 in first-half stoppage time when Saka scored his second goal of the game, celebrated with a fist pump by Tuchel.
France coach Didier Deschamps told French TV channel M6 that the first-half display had been "catastrophic", urging his men to show pride.
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