England defeated France 6-4 in a high-scoring third-place playoff match at the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night. The match saw Kylian Mbappé achieve a historic milestone, becoming the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history, while Bukayo Saka netted a hat-trick for England.
Both teams had entered the 2026 World Cup with higher ambitions but faced disappointing exits in the semi-finals. France was outplayed by Spain, while England experienced a late collapse against Argentina. The third-place match, played in the oppressive heat of Miami, featured several changes to the starting lineups from both coaches.
England manager Thomas Tuchel opted to rest key players like Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, who started on the bench. Similarly, France coach Didier Deschamps, in his final match after 14 years at the helm, omitted Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele from his initial lineup.
England’s Dominant First Half
England started strongly, with Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice opening the scoring from distance in the third minute. Ezri Konsa then headed home to double England’s lead, making it 2-0. France attempted to find a way back into the game, with Mbappé and Michael Olise posing threats, but they were met by a strong performance from England’s second-choice goalkeeper, Dean Henderson.
The match continued to swing in England’s favour as Bukayo Saka extended their lead to 3-0 after a swift break. Before half-time, Saka scored his second goal of the game, making it 4-0, a goal celebrated by Tuchel with a fist pump. France’s first-half display was described as “catastrophic” by Deschamps in an interview with French TV channel M6, where he urged his team to show pride.
Deschamps made four changes at half-time, bringing on Dembele, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Digne, and Barcola. These substitutions quickly paid off, as Mbappé scored his ninth goal of the tournament almost instantly, moving ahead of Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot standings.
Mbappé’s Record and France’s Comeback Attempt
The complexion of the game shifted dramatically after France’s substitutions. Barcola pulled another goal back, and Mbappé then netted his second goal of the match. This goal was particularly significant as it marked his 22nd career World Cup goal, surpassing Messi’s previous all-time record of 21 goals and making him the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.
Mbappé’s second goal reduced England’s lead to 4-3, bringing Les Bleus back into contention. Despite France’s efforts to equalize and their creation of several chances, England managed to reassert their dominance. England was awarded a penalty after Malo Gusto fouled Djed Spence in the box. Saka stepped up and converted the penalty, completing his hat-trick and extending England’s lead once more.
France continued to push, with Dembele scoring a fourth goal for France, narrowing the gap to 5-4. However, Jude Bellingham, who was introduced as a late substitute, sealed England’s victory with an individual effort in added minutes. Bellingham’s spectacular solo run, weaving past multiple French defenders before slotting the ball home, marked the tenth goal of the match and secured the 6-4 win for England.
Significance for Both Teams
Bellingham’s goal also made him the first England player to score seven goals at a World Cup. By finishing third, England achieved their best result at a World Cup since winning the tournament in 1966. Despite this achievement, the team will likely carry bitter memories of their semi-final defeat by defending champions Argentina.
For France, while Mbappé celebrated a historic personal milestone, the team faced defeat in the third-place playoff. Deschamps had previously led France to World Cup glory in 2018 and to a runner-up finish four years prior. Les Bleus were considered favourites for the 2026 tournament after a strong start but were ultimately beaten 2-0 by Spain in the semi-finals.
The World Cup 2026 final is set to feature three-time champions Argentina against European champions Spain. The highly anticipated match will take place in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday.
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Source: aljazeera.com
