England claimed bronze at the 2026 World Cup with a stunning 6-4 victory over France in the third-place playoff in Miami, a match that saw Bukayo Saka score a hat-trick and Jude Bellingham clinch the win in stoppage time. The game, played on 18 July 2026, was the highest-scoring World Cup match since 1982, with records tumbling throughout.
First-Half Dominance
England raced to a 4-0 lead by halftime. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute, followed by Ezri Konsa in the 19th minute. Saka then struck twice, first in the 37th minute and again in first-half stoppage time (45+1), after an earlier goal was disallowed. The English defense, marshalled by Marc Guehi, kept France at bay, while Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise struggled to find rhythm.
French Fightback
France roared back in the second half. Mbappe scored twice—in the 48th and 67th minutes—to reduce the deficit to 4-2, becoming the all-time World Cup leading scorer in the process. Bradley Barcola added a third in the 54th minute, and Ousmane Dembele made it 5-4 in the 90th+6 minute, setting up a frantic finish. However, Saka converted a penalty in the 86th minute for his hat-trick, and Bellingham sealed the win with a solo effort in the 90th+8 minute, his seventh goal of the tournament—a record for an Englishman.
Post-Match Reactions
Speaking to the BBC, Saka said: "It was a crazy, crazy game. We're both still quite disappointed to not be in the final but it was about finishing strong and for us giving the country the best finish in the World Cup in 60 years, so we're happy with the final result." He added that Bellingham insisted he take the penalty for the hat-trick. England manager Thomas Tuchel praised his team's mentality: "We had a brilliant first half and then a turbulent second half. The mentality that we showed is absolutely brilliant."
Records and Milestones
The match set multiple records: it was the highest-scoring World Cup game since 1982; Mbappe became the all-time leading World Cup scorer; Saka joined the World Cup hat-trick club; Bellingham became the first Englishman to score seven World Cup goals; and Michael Olise equaled Pele's record for assists in a single World Cup with seven. The game also marked the end of Didier Deschamps' tenure as France coach, with Tuchel and Deschamps sharing a hug at full-time.
