England secures third place at World Cup with 6-4 victory over France

By Blessing Adeyi — 19 July 2026 — 3 min read

England achieved their best World Cup finish since 1966, securing third place after a 6-4 victory against France in Miami. The match, described as a 10-goal thriller, saw Bukayo Saka net a hat-trick for England. Other goals for England came from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and Jude Bellingham.

The win followed England’s semi-final defeat to Argentina, leading to discussions about the team’s overall performance in the tournament. Head coach Thomas Tuchel referred to the third-place finish as England’s “biggest success in 60 years,” while some fans and pundits debated whether it represented a success or a missed opportunity for the team to go further.

High-scoring encounter in Miami

England established a significant lead in the first half, going 4-0 up. Declan Rice opened the scoring within three minutes, followed by Ezri Konsa’s header from a Rice corner. Bukayo Saka then scored twice to extend England’s advantage before halftime. Chelsea trio Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, and Malo Gusto were involved in the match, with Gusto starting for France and James and Chalobah coming on as substitutes for England.

France mounted a comeback in the second half, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice and Bradley Barcola adding another goal, reducing England’s lead to 4-3. Mbappe’s goals also made him the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 22 goals. Despite Michael Olise missing opportunities to equalize, Djed Spence earned a penalty for England in the 87th minute, which Saka converted to complete his hat-trick.

The drama continued into stoppage time, with Ousmane Dembele scoring for France in the 96th minute, making the score 5-4. However, Jude Bellingham sealed the victory for England two minutes later with the 10th goal of the game, setting a record for the most goals by an England player at a major tournament with seven.

Tuchel’s tactics and fan reaction

The performance in the third-place match, particularly Saka’s hat-trick, led to further discussion regarding Thomas Tuchel’s tactical decisions in the semi-final against Argentina, where Saka was an unused substitute. Tuchel’s name was booed by some England fans before the match against France, reflecting discontent following the semi-final loss.

Speaking after the match, Tuchel acknowledged the criticism, stating it “felt as if we went out in group stage without a win.” He also highlighted the significance of the bronze medal, calling it “the first medal in 60 years, the best World Cup on foreign soil.” Former England defender Martin Keown expressed support for Tuchel, suggesting it would be a “complete waste of time” not to stick with him given his experience and intelligence.

Assistant coach Anthony Barry described the team’s performance against France as a display of pride, noting that the players were playing with “broken hearts” after the semi-final defeat. The win ensures England’s highest finish at the men’s tournament since 1966.

Looking ahead

The Football Association has reaffirmed its backing of Tuchel, with the intention for him to remain in charge for Euro 2028. An end-of-tournament review is expected to discuss the defeat by Argentina. However, concerns remain about potential player discontent over tactical choices and the ongoing fan reaction.

The next major fixture for England will be against Spain in the Nations League, as mentioned by Tuchel. This will be another opportunity for the team to continue their efforts to close the gap with top nations, following their third-place finish in the 2026 World Cup.

Source: bbc.com