England secured the bronze medal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating France 6-4 in a thrilling third-place playoff, marking the Three Lions’ first major World Cup medal since lifting the trophy in 1966.
The Three Lions produced a dominant first-half display, racing into a 4-0 lead through goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and a brace from Bukayo Saka, leaving France with a mountain to climb at the break.
Les Bleus mounted a spirited comeback in the second half, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice and Bradley Barcola adding another goal to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Saka completed his hat-trick in the 87th minute to restore England’s two-goal cushion at 5-3, but Ousmane Dembélé responded almost immediately to make it 5-4 and set up a tense finish.
However, Jude Bellingham sealed England’s victory deep into stoppage time, scoring in the 98th minute to complete a memorable 6-4 triumph.
The victory sees England finish third at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending a 60-year wait for a World Cup medal and providing a positive conclusion to an impressive tournament campaign.
