England have finished third at the 2026 World Cup after beating France in a wild, ten-goal thriller that saw them nearly throw away a four-goal half-time lead.
In a remarkably open encounter, England blew France away in the first half to lead 4-0, only for Les Bleus to mount a furious second-half fightback that brought the score to 4-3 and later 5-4.
However, a Bukayo Saka hat-trick and a brilliant individual effort from substitute Jude Bellingham finally sealed victory in one of the most entertaining third-place playoffs in tournament history.
First-half blitz
With the pressure lifted following their respective semi-final exits, both managers rotated their squads. England coach Thomas Tuchel made seven changes, leaving Harry Kane out of the squad entirely and starting Bellingham on the bench.
The gamble paid off immediately as England’s attack carved France open at will:
- The opener: Declan Rice capitalised on slack play from Desiré Doué to fire England ahead from outside the box.
- The second: Ezri Konsa doubled the lead, heading home from a Rice corner.
- Saka’s double: Bukayo Saka then struck twice in the space of ten minutes, finishing off precise assists from Marcus Rashford and Eberechi Eze to make it 4-0 before the break.
During the interval, England assistant coach Anthony Barry admitted the squad had been suffering from “broken hearts” over the last 48 hours following their semi-final defeat, but praised the team’s pride. Crucially, he added: “The game’s not done – anything can happen.”
A furious French fightback
Barry’s warning proved prophetic. Determined not to end Didier Deschamps’ final match in charge with a whimper, France mounted a stunning second-half revival.
Kylian Mbappé led the charge, scoring twice either side of a French rally to bring his side within touching distance of an extraordinary comeback.
The double saw Mbappé move to 10 goals for the tournament, becoming the first player since West Germany’s Gerd Müller in 1970 to reach double figures in a single World Cup. The strikes also moved him two goals ahead of Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot, ahead of Sunday’s final.
Despite France continuing to pile on the pressure, Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot to offer England breathing room at 5-4, before Bellingham came off the bench to score a sensational solo goal and put the game completely out of reach.
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