England claimed the bronze medal in the FIFA World Cup 2026 by defeating France 6-4 in a record-breaking 10-goal match at Miami Stadium on Saturday local time. The defeat brought an end to Didier Deschamps’ 14-year tenure as France manager on a disappointing note.
The third-place play-off was the highest-scoring in modern tournament history, with Bukayo Saka scoring a hat-trick to overcome Kylian Mbappe’s two goals, securing England’s best World Cup finish on foreign soil since 1966.
England dominated the first half, leading 4–0 at the interval. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute, followed by a goal from defender Ezri Konsa in the 18th minute. Saka then scored twice (37′, 45+1′), marking the first occasion France conceded four goals in a single World Cup half.
The second half saw a shift as France mounted a comeback. Deschamps, in his 187th and final match, made tactical substitutions at halftime which sparked a French resurgence. Mbappe scored in the 48th minute, with Bradley Barcola adding a second six minutes later, reducing the deficit to 4–2. Mbappe scored again in the 66th minute, bringing France within one goal.
Mbappe’s second goal made him the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history with 22 goals, surpassing Lionel Messi’s previous record of 21.
Despite the pressure, England responded with a penalty converted by Saka in the 87th minute to make it 5–3. In stoppage time, Ousmane Dembele scored in the 90+6th minute, but Jude Bellingham sealed the win with a goal in the 90+8th minute, concluding the match at 6–4 in England’s favour.
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