England defeat France 6-4 to claim third place at 2026 World Cup
England beat France 6-4 in the World Cup third-place match, recording their highest finish since winning the tournament in 1966.
England overcame France 6-4 in the FIFA World Cup third-place game on Saturday in Florida, securing the Lions' second-best ever tournament finish. The match featured an unusually high number of goals, with England taking a 4-0 lead at halftime thanks to early strikes from Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and others.
France rallied in the second half, with Kylian Mbappé scoring three times and assisting another, narrowing the deficit to 6-5 before England restored a two-goal margin late in added time. Saka completed a hat-trick from the penalty spot, and Jude Bellingham added the final goal in stoppage time.
The result marks England's best World Cup performance since their 1966 victory, while France finished fourth after a spirited comeback effort. Both teams will now turn their attention to the upcoming final, where Argentina faces the winner of the other semifinal.