Join WhatsApp Channel
England secured third place at the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a thrilling 6-4 victory over France in one of the tournament’s highest-scoring matches, as Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick and Kylian Mbappé netted twice to strengthen his bid for the Golden Boot.
After suffering a 2-1 semifinal defeat to Argentina despite taking the lead, England rested captain Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham at the start of the third-place playoff. Bellingham entered late in the second half and scored in the closing stages to halt France’s spirited comeback after Les Bleus had reduced a four-goal deficit to just two.
Mbappé finished the tournament with 10 goals, two more than Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who still had the World Cup final against Spain to play.
With his two goals against England, Mbappé ended the tournament as the highest-scoring player in FIFA World Cup history with 22 career goals across three editions. He surpassed Messi’s previous mark after scoring four goals at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, eight at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, and 10 at the 2026 World Cup.
England dominated the opening half, racing to a 4-0 lead before halftime. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute with a strike from outside the penalty area. His goal, scored after 134 seconds, became England’s second-fastest goal in World Cup history, behind Bryan Robson’s 28-second strike against France in 1982.
Saka had an early goal disallowed for offside before Ezri Konsa doubled England’s advantage. Saka then scored twice in quick succession to give Thomas Tuchel’s side a commanding four-goal cushion at the break.
France, facing the prospect of its heaviest World Cup defeat since a 5-2 loss to Brazil in 1958, mounted an impressive second-half comeback.
Michael Olise set up Mbappé for France’s first goal before the Real Madrid forward assisted Bradley Barcola to cut the deficit further. Mbappé then scored again to bring France within one goal, while Olise narrowly missed completing a flowing attacking move that could have leveled the match.
England regained control when Malo Gusto fouled Djed Spence inside the penalty area. Saka converted the resulting penalty to complete his hat-trick and restore England’s two-goal advantage.
Olise finished the tournament with seven assists, the most recorded in a single FIFA World Cup since official assist records began in 1966. The previous record of six was set by Pelé for Brazil at the 1970 World Cup.
Mbappé concluded the tournament with 10 goals in eight appearances. Only Hungary’s Sándor Kocsis, with 11 goals in 1954, and France’s Just Fontaine, with 13 goals in 1958, have scored more goals in a single World Cup tournament.
Saka was named the Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match.
The victory gave England its best World Cup finish since winning the title on home soil in 1966 and marked the end of Didier Deschamps’ successful tenure as France head coach.
