England secure third place at World Cup after 6-4 victory over France
England claim historic third place
England achieved their best World Cup finish since 1966, securing third place with a thrilling 6-4 victory over France. The match, described as a “bronze final,” saw England race to a 4-0 lead by half-time before a spirited comeback from France made for a chaotic second half. The win marks England‘s first World Cup medal in 60 years and their best-ever result on foreign soil.
Goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and two from Bukayo Saka put England firmly in control during the first half. Rice, captaining the side, opened the scoring in the third minute, intercepting a pass and striking from the edge of the box. He then assisted Konsa‘s goal with a near-post corner. Saka added two more, first from a follow-up after being teed up by Marcus Rashford, and then from a through-ball from Eberechi Eze.
The match was the highest-scoring World Cup third-place game ever, surpassing a 1958 encounter between France and West Germany. Despite the commanding lead, France, under manager Didier Deschamps in his final game, mounted a significant challenge in the second half.
French comeback and decisive moments
France responded after the break, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice and Bradley Barcola adding another, narrowing the deficit. Mbappé‘s goals took his tournament tally to 10 and made him the World Cup‘s all-time leading scorer with 22 goals, surpassing Lionel Messi. His performance put him ahead in the race for the 2026 Golden Boot. Mbappé is the first player to reach double figures in a men’s World Cup since Gerd Muller in 1970.
However, Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 87th minute after Djed Spence was fouled. Ousmane Dembélé curled home in stoppage time to make it 5-4, but Jude Bellingham sealed England‘s victory in the 98th minute with his seventh goal of the tournament, the most by an England player at a single World Cup. Bellingham‘s individual effort saw him drive from the halfway line, beat Maxence Lacroix, and finish coolly.
France had not conceded six goals in a World Cup match before, and it was the first time they had conceded six in any match in 66 years. Despite the defeat, France‘s quality and energy in the second half were notable, with goalkeeper Dean Henderson making several smart saves from Rayan Cherki, Mbappé, and Dembélé. Michael Olise, the tournament’s assist leader, missed two clear chances.
Tuchel reflects on a special achievement
England manager Thomas Tuchel expressed pride in his players’ efforts, stating that they could be proud of their achievement. He acknowledged the pain of missing out on the final but highlighted the significance of the bronze medal, the first for England in 60 years and their first on foreign soil. Tuchel revealed that Jordan Henderson delivered a pre-match speech that helped put their accomplishment into perspective, fostering a unified mindset within the team.
Tuchel‘s assistant, Anthony Barry, gave an emotional half-time interview, expressing surprise at the team’s performance given their disappointment from the semi-final. He praised the players, stating, “I’m so proud of the boys.” Tuchel challenged his players to continue improving, with their next fixture being a Nations League meeting with Spain at Wembley on 26 September.
Saka, who was an unused substitute in the semi-final against Argentina, admitted his disappointment at not playing more but focused on the team’s third-place finish. He stated, “We have to hold our heads high and move on.” The Arsenal forward’s hat-trick performance raised questions about his limited involvement in the semi-final, where Tuchel made defensive changes. This match, however, saw Tuchel make seven changes to the starting lineup, including resting Harry Kane and Bellingham, and giving Saka a start.
Didier Deschamps, who led France to World Cup glory in 2018, departed as manager after 14 years, with Zinedine Zidane poised to take over. Deschamps described his tenure as “the most beautiful period of my life” and expressed no regrets, having reached the 2018 and 2022 finals. He joked about his team’s first-half performance, saying he “could have changed eight of them at half-time.”
The match featured 38 shots, with 20 on target, making it the England World Cup match with the most goals. It also tied for the fifth most goals in any World Cup match, level with France‘s 7-3 victory over Paraguay in 1958, and the most in any tournament game since Hungary‘s 10-1 win against El Salvador in 1982.
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Source: theguardian.com
Isla Hartley is a Sports Reporter at NewsUK. She covered the British summer of sport from Wimbledon to the Test grounds. She focuses on tennis, cricket and athletics and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. She holds a degree in Sports Studies from the University of Stirling and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Glasgow, she runs half-marathons and follows Scottish athletics. “The overlooked athlete usually has the better story.”
