By Crystal Ugoeze
England claimed the bronze medal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating France 6-4 in a breathtaking third-place playoff in Miami on Saturday.
The encounter produced one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament, with England racing into a commanding 4-0 lead by half-time before surviving a spirited French comeback in a contest that featured 10 goals.
Bukayo Saka was the star of the show, scoring a superb hat-trick, including a late penalty that restored England’s two-goal cushion after France had threatened an unlikely comeback. The Arsenal forward converted from the spot in the 87th minute after Jude Bellingham handed him the ball, sealing his third goal of the night.
France refused to surrender despite the huge first-half deficit. Kylian Mbappe spearheaded the fightback as Les Bleus pulled themselves back into the contest, but they were unable to complete the turnaround against a determined England side.
Deep into stoppage time, Ousmane Dembele added France’s fourth goal with a fine left-footed finish, but it proved too little, too late as England held on for victory.
The closing stages were filled with drama, including seven minutes of added time, injuries that forced England to reshuffle their defence, and France’s relentless push for more goals.
England manager Thomas Tuchel introduced fresh legs in midfield and defence to help his side withstand the late pressure, while Trevoh Chalobah made his World Cup debut appearance for the Three Lions.
The victory secured third place for England and ended their World Cup campaign on a high after the disappointment of their semifinal defeat to Argentina. France, meanwhile, finished fourth despite producing a spirited second-half display that nearly turned the contest into one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup history.
Attention now shifts to Sunday’s World Cup final, where Spain will face defending champions Argentina in New Jersey for the 2026 FIFA World Cup title.