2026 World Cup

England v France 6–4, a thrilling match in Miami: Saka leads the Three Lions, Mbappé makes history

At Miami Stadium, the two European national teams put on an attacking spectacle: Saka scored a hat-trick and Mbappé set a new record by netting his tenth goal, taking his World Cup tally to 22.

by Marco Bellinazzo

18 July 2026

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Calcio - Coppa del Mondo FIFA 2026 - Semifinale - Francia-Spagna - Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, Stati Uniti - 14 luglio 2026. La reazione del francese Kylian Mbappé. (REUTERS/Lee Smith)

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

It may not have been the final both sides had dreamed of, but the England v France third-place play-off at the 2026 World Cup provided a spectacle that was arguably unrivalled in the tournament. At Miami Stadium, in front of over 60,000 spectators, the Three Lions clinched the bronze medal with a 6–4 victory at the end of a madcap match, which they dominated in the first half, saw their lead challenged in the second half, and was only settled in the 98th minute.

First half: England lead 4–0

Thomas Tuchel’s side got off to a flying start. After just two minutes, Declan Rice opened the scoring, rewarding the English side’s bold approach. France seemed taken aback by their opponents’ intensity and, in the 18th minute, conceded a second goal scored by Ezri Konsa, who made the most of a favourable situation in the French penalty area with a header into the corner past the blameless Magnain.

Les Bleus struggled to respond, leaving large gaps between the lines and being constantly caught out by the English side’s through balls. In the 37th minute, Bukayo Saka – the standout performer of the evening – scored his first goal, whilst in first-half stoppage time, in the 45th minute plus 2, the Arsenal winger completed his brace to make it a resounding 4–0.

Second half: France wake up too late

At half-time, it looked like the match was all but over, with a France side unrecognisable and overwhelmed by England’s pace and attacking quality. But in football, especially when Kylian Mbappé is on the pitch, nothing is ever truly over. Deschamps, making last-minute changes to France’s line-up, brought on four new players, and just three minutes after the teams returned from the dressing rooms, in the 48th minute, the French captain reignited hope with a goal to make it 4–1.

A goal that turned the tide of the match. In the 54th minute, Bradley Barcola made it 4–2, capitalising on the English side’s confusion. France began to press consistently and create a string of chances, whilst England – having already been let down by Argentina in the semi-final after taking the lead – began to see some old demons resurface.

The match really heated up in the 66th minute, when Mbappé found the net once again to make it 4–3. At that point, a comeback seemed possible. The English defence was under pressure and France, spurred on by their number 10, took emotional control of the match.

At the most crucial moment, however, England found their star player. In the 87th minute, Saka stepped up to the penalty spot and beat Maignan to make it 5–3, completing a splendid hat-trick. It was a crucial goal that seemed to have dashed France’s hopes once and for all. The match, however, still had more to offer. In the 90th minute plus 6, Ousmane Dembélé capitalised on a lapse in concentration by England to make it 5–4 and give Les Bleus one last thrill. With France pushing forward in search of an equaliser, England found space on the counter-attack and, in the 90th minute plus 8 seconds, Jude Bellingham – who had come on as a late substitute – sealed the victory once and for all: he accelerated through the centre, left the defenders in his wake and slotted the ball past Maignan to make it 6–4. With seven goals, the Englishman is now the top scorer in a single World Cup tournament.

Saka and Mbappé, the goal-scorers

The man of the match was, inevitably, Bukayo Saka, who scored a hat-trick and provided the English attack with the depth that had been lacking in the semi-final against Argentina. Rice and Bellingham also performed very well, delivering a display that confirms the great talent of the new generation of English players. At the same time, the Three Lions will need to reflect on the defensive frailty they showed in the second half: after leading by four goals, they genuinely risked throwing it all away.

For France, there remains the bitterness of defeat, but also the realisation that they once again have a truly exceptional player. With his brace in Miami, Kylian Mbappé, on 22 goals – 10 of them in this tournament – has become the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history, surpassing the previous all-time record in the World Cup finals. An extraordinary achievement at just 27 years of age, yet another demonstration of the French star’s immense influence in major international competitions.