- France vs England: Three Lions dismantle Les Bleus 6–4 to claim the 2026 World Cup bronze medal.
- The third-place playoff took place on Sunday at Miami Stadium.
- Mbappe bagged a brace to become the all-time top scorer with 22 goals and lead the Golden Boot race with 10, but Saka’s hat-trick stole the show.
Kylian Mbappe ascended as the World Cup’s all-time top scorer on a night to forget in Miami, as his two strikes were not enough to secure bronze for France in the 2026 edition, following a 6-4 dismantle to England on Sunday.
His brace took him to a record 22 World Cup goals, moving one clear of Argentina’s Lionel Messi.
Mbappe also strengthened his lead in the Golden Boot race with 10 goals, two ahead of Messi’s eight, although the Argentine still has the final against Spain on Sunday night to play.
Meanwhile, his countryman Michael Olise provided two assists to finish the tournament with a record seven assists, the most by any player in a single World Cup campaign.
France mounted a spirited second-half fightback, with Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele also finding the net, but it was far from the farewell Didier Deschamps had hoped for as he brought the curtain down on his 14-year spell in charge of Les Bleus.
It was a night of celebration for the Three Lions, who secured their first World Cup silverware since lifting the trophy in 1966.
England responded brilliantly to the heartbreak of their semifinal defeat to Argentina by producing an outstanding display to claim the bronze medal.
Bukayo Saka stole the show with a hat-trick, while Declan Rice opened the scoring and Ezri Konsa doubled the advantage before Jude Bellingham came off the bench to seal the sixth goal.
France vs England match report
England, just as they did against Argentina in the semifinal, started brightly. They took the lead through Declan Rice after Desire Doue carelessly surrendered possession in midfield.
Rice intercepted the pass, drove forward with no French defender stepping out to close him down, and calmly stroked a superb finish into the bottom corner from just outside the area.
Rice then turned provider for England’s second only minutes later. His inviting inswinging cross found Konsa, who rose highest inside the six-yard box and guided a header into the far corner.
The Three Lions added a third after France committed numbers forward in attack. Saka’s pass released Marcus Rashford, whose initial effort was saved by Mike Maignan.
Saka’s rebound was blocked, but the ball kindly fell back to Rashford, who kept his composure before squaring for Saka to tap into an empty net.
England made it four before halftime with another slick move. Eberechi Eze produced a brilliant turn in midfield before threading a perfectly weighted pass to his Arsenal teammate Saka, who fired an early finish into the bottom corner to cap a dominant first-half display.
France pulled one back through Mbappe’s ninth goal of the tournament. Ollie Watkins was dispossessed by Dayot Upamecano near the halfway line, allowing France to launch a swift attack.
Olise found space in the No. 10 position before splitting the England defence with a superb through ball, and Mbappe finished first time beyond Dean Henderson with his left foot.
France grabbed a second soon after. Mbappe slipped the ball inside to Barcola after Jarell Quansah lost track of his run.
Although Barcola appeared to have taken the ball slightly too far, he recovered in time to slot his effort into the bottom corner.
France’s third goal was pure quality. Razor-sharp combination play between Mbappe and Olise on the edge of the box carved England open before the France captain drilled an unstoppable left-footed finish into the bottom corner.
It was liquid football and a goal worthy of any occasion, taking Mbappe to his record-extending 22nd World Cup goal.
Late in the game, Malo Gusto conceded a penalty after bringing down Djed Spence inside the box.
Saka stepped up, sent Maignan the wrong way, and calmly tucked his spot-kick into the bottom corner to complete his hat-trick and all but secure England’s bronze medal.
France threw everything forward in search of another comeback, but they were punished on the counterattack deep into stoppage time.
Jude Bellingham carried the ball from the halfway line, surged through the stretched French defence, and showed remarkable composure before finishing brilliantly.
It was his seventh goal of the tournament, the most ever scored by an England player at a single World Cup.
Read more about other World Cup teams in 2026 below:
Morocco national football team 2026
Argentina national football team 2026
Mexico national football team 2026
Spain national football team 2026
Brazil national football team 2026
France national football team 2026
Senegal national football team 2026