The England national team clinched third place at the 2026 World Cup after securing a thrilling 6-4 victory over France in the third-place playoff—an extraordinary showdown that ranks among the highest-scoring matches in the tournament’s history.
Both teams delivered an open, attack-minded display that produced 10 goals. This remarkable encounter marks only the sixth match in World Cup history to see 10 or more goals scored, joining the ranks of Austria vs. Switzerland (7-5) in 1954, Brazil vs. Poland (6-5) in 1938, Hungary vs. West Germany (8-3) in 1954, Hungary vs. El Salvador (10-1) in 1982, and France vs. Paraguay (7-3) in 1958.
The match featured a masterclass performance by Bukayo Saka, who scored a spectacular hat-trick to lead the Three Lions to victory. With this feat, the Arsenal winger became only the fourth player in England’s history to score a World Cup hat-trick, following in the footsteps of Sir Geoff Hurst in the 1966 final, Gary Lineker in 1986, and Harry Kane in 2018.
This landmark victory gives the English team its best World Cup finish since winning their sole title back in 1966, securing the tournament’s third-place spot for the very first time in their history.
Despite France’s defeat, Kylian Mbappe continued to write history by netting a brace, standing clear as the all-time top scorer in World Cup history as well as this edition’s leading marksman. However, England had the final word, concluding their 2026 World Cup journey with a historic achievement and a well-deserved bronze medal in one of the most exciting games ever played.
