England beat France 6-4 in a ten-goal third-place thriller, with a Saka hat-trick
England led 4-0 at half-time in Miami and held on through a French comeback, finishing third at a World Cup for the first time since winning it in 1966.
England beat France 6-4 on 18 July 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida, in the third-place match of the World Cup. Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick: goals in the 37th minute and in first-half stoppage time, then a penalty in the 87th minute.
The match
England led 4-0 after an astonishing first half. France scored three times early in the second half to get back into the game, but Saka's penalty and a late Jude Bellingham goal sealed the win. Bellingham's goal made him the first English player to score seven goals at a single World Cup.
Most reports call it England's best World Cup finish since they won on home soil in 1966; one outlet describes it as their second-best, so the wording differs between sources. It was also France coach Didier Deschamps' last match in charge, according to France 24.
In context: the third-place match is often the least important of a World Cup, but ten goals made it one of the most memorable.
Sources: CNN, France 24, NBC Miami, ESPN.
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