This thrilling match left fans on the edge of their seats as England faced off against France in an unforgettable World Cup third-place playoff. Coach Thomas Tuchel had called for a strong response from his team, but the manner of England’s performance in the first half was beyond anyone’s expectations, as they surged ahead with four goals against a seemingly lackluster French squad.
Despite the impressive lead established by goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and two from Bukayo Saka, Kylian Mbappé, chasing his second consecutive Golden Boot, ignited a comeback for France. He quickly scored after halftime and netted another shortly after Bradley Barcola’s goal, keeping the pressure on England throughout the match.
Mbappé, at 27, made history by becoming the first male player since Gerd Müller in 1970 to score ten goals in World Cup tournaments. Fortunately for England, Saka’s late penalty completed his hat-trick, while Jude Bellingham added another goal, ensuring a historic victory for England, who claimed third place in the World Cup for the first time. Despite the painful memories of their semi-final loss to Argentina, this win provided a much-needed morale boost.
The gloomy Miami skies mirrored the atmosphere surrounding both teams as they attempted to recover from their recent semi-final defeats. Mbappé, motivated not just by personal accolades but also by a desire to send coach Didier Deschamps off with a win after 14 years at the helm, expressed his sentiments on social media before the match, stating, “Today is your last dance,”
Tuchel, having signed a contract extension prior to the tournament, has expressed his ambitions to lead England into Euro 2028. However, following a tense pre-match press conference on Friday, where he reaffirmed his decisions during the semi-final against Argentina, the upcoming two years will be crucial for him to regain the confidence of England’s supporters.
In a bid to reshape the team, Tuchel made seven changes from the semi-final lineup, surprisingly appointing Rice as captain in place of Harry Kane, despite his ongoing injury. Arsenal fans were likely concerned by Saka’s starting position, given their worries about William Saliba’s back injury.
The absence of Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo from the bench was notable, with the Football Association citing injury, although Jordan Henderson was available despite a broken arm sustained during England’s victory over Mexico.
Initially, it appeared that France was suffering from a hangover after their semi-final exit. A careless pass from Désiré Doué in the third minute was intercepted by Rice, who scored effortlessly. Mbappé stumbled on the ball during a promising run, while Saka had an exquisite goal from a Morgan Rogers pass ruled offside. Saka’s next attempt was thwarted by a block from Maxence Lacroix, but Konsa managed to outjump Adrien Rabiot to score from Rice’s corner. England clearly had something to prove.
Marcus Rashford showcased his skill, nutmegging Warren Zaïre-Emery before unleashing a powerful shot that was expertly saved by Mike Maignan. At the opposite end, Dean Henderson made a remarkable save against Mbappé, who had cut in from the left. England’s third goal came on a swift counter-attack, with Rashford and Saka trading opportunities until Saka finally found the net. Just before halftime, Eberechi Eze set up Saka for his second, leaving France’s players visibly stunned, even as Mbappé tried to downplay the situation.
Deschamps responded at halftime with four substitutions, introducing Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola. France quickly pulled one back when Mbappé capitalized on a through ball from Olise, following a missed possession opportunity by England’s Ollie Watkins. Barcola soon sprinted back to halfway with the ball after scoring again, making it 4-2. Mbappé then struck again after a neat exchange with Olise, putting Tuchel’s side on the back foot.
Despite their efforts, Olise failed to convert a chance that could have pushed the match into extra time after evading England’s defense. By this point, Bellingham and Elliot Anderson were brought on from the bench. Saka, who had not played against Argentina, scored from the penalty spot after Djed Spence was fouled, making it 5-3. Bellingham then sealed the victory for England with a powerful strike, following Dembélé’s earlier goal for France.
- World Cup 2026
- World Cup
- England
- France
- Bukayo Saka
- Kylian Mbappé
- match reports
