England ended their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on a high by defeating France 6-4 in an extraordinary third-place playoff in Miami, with Bukayo Saka producing a performance for the history books by scoring a sensational hat-trick. The victory secured England’s best World Cup finish since lifting the trophy in 1966 and brought Thomas Tuchel’s first major tournament in charge to a memorable conclusion.
From the opening whistle, England played with an intensity that caught France completely off guard. Declan Rice opened the scoring after just three minutes before Ezri Konsa doubled the advantage in the 18th minute. Saka then took center stage, scoring twice before halftime to hand England a commanding 4-0 lead and leave Didier Deschamps’ side shell-shocked.
France, however, refused to surrender. Manager Didier Deschamps made several halftime changes, and the response was immediate. Kylian Mbappé scored just three minutes after the restart before Bradley Barcola reduced the deficit again, giving France renewed belief. Mbappé struck for a second time in the 66th minute to make it 4-3, setting up a tense finale as England’s once-comfortable lead nearly disappeared.
With France pushing for an equaliser, England were awarded a late penalty after Saka was brought down inside the area. The Arsenal winger calmly converted from the spot to complete his hat-trick and restore England’s two-goal cushion. Deep into stoppage time, Jude Bellingham added England’s sixth goal before France’s Ousmane Dembélé scored a late consolation, bringing an end to a breathtaking 10-goal contest that became the highest-scoring third-place match in FIFA World Cup history.
Saka’s treble etched his name into English football folklore. The 24-year-old became only the second England player ever to score a hat-trick in a World Cup knockout match, matching the feat achieved by Sir Geoff Hurst in the 1966 World Cup final. He also became only the second player in World Cup history to score a hat-trick against France, following the legendary Pelé, who accomplished the feat in the 1958 semifinal.
The match also saw Mbappé make history despite finishing on the losing side. His two goals took his career World Cup tally to 22, surpassing Lionel Messi as the competition’s all-time leading scorer. Mbappé also moved to the top of the Golden Boot standings with 10 goals in the tournament, underlining another remarkable individual campaign.
Bellingham also reached a significant milestone. His late strike was his seventh goal of the tournament, setting a new record for the most goals scored by an England player at a single FIFA World Cup. The Real Madrid midfielder continued to underline his importance to Tuchel’s side throughout the competition.
Speaking after the match, Tuchel praised his players for their resilience following the disappointment of the semifinal defeat to Argentina. He described the performance as a fitting response from a team determined to finish the tournament with pride. France coach Didier Deschamps, meanwhile, admitted his side’s disastrous first half proved too much to overcome, despite an impressive second-half fightback in what was his final match in charge of Les Bleus.
For England, the result provided a measure of consolation after missing out on the World Cup final. More importantly, it showcased the emergence of a dynamic new generation led by Saka, Bellingham, Rice and Konsa; players who combined flair, composure and determination to deliver one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament and secure a bronze medal in unforgettable fashion.
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