By Samuel Akpan
England produced a thrilling attacking masterclass to defeat France 6-4 and claim bronze at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking their strongest tournament finish since lifting the trophy in 1966.
Thomas Tuchel’s men bounced back from semi-final disappointment with a dazzling display at Miami Stadium.
Despite resting key stars Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham on the bench, the Three Lions raced into a commanding 4-0 lead by half-time through an inspired attacking surge.
Captain Declan Rice set the tone with a thunderous long-range strike in the third minute.
He then delivered a pinpoint corner for Ezri Konsa to head home his first World Cup goal in the 18th minute.
Bukayo Saka then took centre stage, netting in the 32nd minute before adding another just before the break to make it 4-0.
France refused to surrender and mounted a fierce fightback after Didier Deschamps introduced four substitutes at half-time.
Kylian Mbappé quickly reduced the deficit in the 48th minute, surpassing Lionel Messi as the all-time leading scorer in men’s World Cup history.
Substitute Bradley Barcola added a second moments later, before Mbappé struck again in the 66th minute to bring the score to 4-3.
As tension mounted, England showed impressive resilience under pressure.
Saka then sealed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 86th minute, calming any late nerves and putting the finishing touch on a memorable individual performance.
Late drama followed with Ousmane Dembélé pulling one back in the 90+4th minute, only for Jude Bellingham to restore the two-goal cushion in added time.
The encounter became just the sixth World Cup match in history to feature ten or more goals.
It joins classics like Austria’s 7-5 win over Switzerland in 1954 and Hungary’s 10-1 thrashing of El Salvador in 1982.
Saka’s treble made him only the fourth Englishman to score a World Cup hat-trick, following Geoff Hurst (1966), Gary Lineker (1986) and Harry Kane (2018).
With five World Cup goals for his country, he has now eclipsed David Beckham’s tally of three.
The result delivers England’s best World Cup placement since their 1966 triumph, though it offers little consolation for the semi-final exit.
For France, Dembélé reached six career World Cup goals—matching Thierry Henry—with only Mbappé and Just Fontaine ahead of him in the all-time list.
Historically, England has held the upper hand in this rivalry, securing 18 victories across 33 meetings, while France has claimed 10 wins, with the remaining five matches ending in a draw.
The bronze medal clash provided a fittingly dramatic chapter in their storied encounters.
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