England Secure Historic Third Place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 6-4 Thriller Against France
England have finally ended their long wait for a podium finish at the FIFA World Cup. Sixty years after lifting the trophy on home soil in 1966, the Three Lions claimed bronze at the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico with a breathtaking 6-4 victory over France in the third-place play-off at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Saturday night.
It was their best World Cup performance since winning the competition, following semi-final exits in 1990 and 2018 (where they lost the bronze match both times).
Under manager Thomas Tuchel, a talented squad blended experience and flair to reach the last four before falling to defending champions Argentina, then delivering a statement win in the consolation match.
Here is how England navigated their route to third place.
Group Stage: Solid Start in Group L
England topped Group L with seven points from three matches, showing control despite not always hitting top gear.
• England 4-2 Croatia (Dallas, June 17): A flying start. Harry Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot and added a second. Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford also netted in a high-quality encounter.
• England 0-0 Ghana (Boston, June 23): A cagey draw against a well-organised side kept England top on goal difference.
• Panama 0-2 England (New Jersey, June 27): Bellingham and Kane struck after the break to seal first place and a favourable knockout path.
England advanced comfortably as group winners, setting up a Round of 32 clash with DR Congo.
Knockout Stage: Dramatic Progress
England’s knockout run featured comebacks, late drama and standout individual performances, particularly from Bellingham and Kane.
Round of 32:
England 2-1 DR Congo (Atlanta, July 1)
DR Congo took an early lead through Brian Cipenga, but England showed resilience. Kane’s brace (75th and 86th minutes) turned the game around and booked a last-16 tie against hosts Mexico.
Round of 16: Mexico 2-3 England (Mexico City, July 5)
A fiery Azteca atmosphere and a reported red card to an England defender couldn’t derail the Three Lions. Bellingham scored twice in quick succession early on, Kane converted a penalty, and although Mexico fought back late, England held on for a famous win on the road.
Quarter-final: Norway 1-2 England (a.e.t.) (Miami, July 11)
Norway struck first through Andreas Schjelderup, but Bellingham was again the hero. He equalised before half-time and scored a dramatic extra-time winner to send England into the semi-finals for the third time since 1966.
Semi-final: England 1-2 Argentina (Atlanta, July 15)
England led through Anthony Gordon but were undone by a late Argentina comeback. Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez scored in the final minutes to end Tuchel’s side’s title hopes and set up a bronze-medal date with France.
The Bronze Final: A 10-Goal Classic – England 6-4 France
What followed was one of the most entertaining third-place matches in World Cup history. France, managed by Didier Deschamps in his final game, admitted beforehand they didn’t want to play — but both teams delivered a spectacle.
England exploded out of the blocks:
• Declan Rice fired in a stunning opener from distance in the 3rd minute.
• Ezri Konsa headed in a Rice corner to make it 2-0.
• Bukayo Saka then took over, scoring twice before half-time to put England 4-0 up at the break.
France responded after the interval with a quadruple substitution. Kylian Mbappé (who finished with 10 tournament goals and broke the all-time World Cup scoring record) pulled one back, Bradley Barcola made it 4-2, and Mbappé struck again to make it 4-3.
England steadied themselves. A penalty after a foul on Djed Spence was calmly converted by Saka for his hat-trick — only the fourth England player to achieve the feat in a men’s World Cup match.
France pulled one back in stoppage time through Ousmane Dembélé (5-4), but deep into added time Jude Bellingham sealed the win with a composed finish after a surging run.
The 10-goal thriller broke records for the highest-scoring third-place match and gave England their first-ever bronze medal.
Legacy and Key Performers
Bellingham finished as one of the tournament’s standout players with seven goals across the competition. Kane added six, while Saka’s hat-trick in the bronze match will live long in memory. The squad showed character after the semi-final heartbreak, finishing the job in style.
For a nation that has often fallen short in major tournaments, this third-place finish under Tuchel represents genuine progress and the best result in six decades. The players received their bronze medals on the pitch in Miami to the sound of “Wonderwall” from the England fans.
England may not have brought the trophy home, but they returned with hardware — and plenty of belief for the future. The Three Lions are back on the podium.
England’s 2026 World Cup Results
Group stage: 4-2 Croatia, 0-0 Ghana, 2-0 Panama (Winners)
Round of 32: 2-1 DR Congo
Round of 16: 3-2 Mexico
Quarter-final: 2-1 Norway (a.e.t.)
Semi-final: 1-2 Argentina
Third place: 6-4 France
A campaign to remember. 🏴🥉
