France vs England 2026

England Edge France in Ten-Goal Thriller to Claim World Cup Bronze

In one of the most breathtaking third-place finals in tournament history, England outlasted France 6-4 in a chaotic, end-to-end spectacle that refused to slow down for even a moment. The Three Lions came storming out of the blocks, with Declan Rice rifling home inside the opening three minutes before Ezri Konsa doubled the lead in the 18th minute. From there, it became the Bukayo Saka show — the Arsenal winger struck twice before the interval, including a clinical finish in first-half stoppage time, to send England into the break with a commanding 4-0 cushion and the bronze medal seemingly within reach.

But France, led by the irrepressible Kylian Mbappé, refused to surrender. The forward ignited a stunning second-half comeback with a goal just three minutes after the restart, and when Bradley Barcola pulled another back in the 54th minute, the momentum had swung entirely. Mbappé's second of the afternoon in the 66th minute suddenly made it 4-3, and the French were roaring. England steadied the ship through Saka's hat-trick-completing penalty in the 87th minute, only for Ousmane Dembélé to strike deep into stoppage time and set up a frantic finale. It was left to Jude Bellingham to have the final word, sealing the victory in the 98th minute to make it 6-4 and end the drama in dramatic fashion.

For England, this result caps a bittersweet campaign with a bronze medal — falling agonizingly short of the final but affirming their status as a genuine footballing force with a squad brimming with world-class talent. For France, the fourth-place finish will sting, particularly given the sheer quality of Mbappé and Dembélé, whose second-half heroics were ultimately not enough to overturn England's blistering start. Both nations depart the 2026 World Cup with plenty to build on, but on this unforgettable afternoon, it was the Three Lions who walked away with the spoils in a match destined to be remembered as an all-time classic.