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It’s the game that no one ever wants to play in, but there was still a lot on the line for both England and France in the third-place match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday.
Both teams hit the pitch at Miami Stadium (also known as Hard Rock Stadium) after some tough semifinal losses: France to Spain, and England to reigning champs Argentina.
France was looking for redemption after coming up short in a tournament where they were widely viewed to be the favorite. Plus, this match presented an opportunity for French star Kylian Mbappe to overtake Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race.
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England’s Bukayo Saka scores during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Bronze Medal Match. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
However, they were up against an England team that had played well throughout the tournament and was 2-1 against them in World Cup matches. Their two most offensively potent players this tournament, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, both started the match on the bench.
Well, in the early going, it turns out that England had enough offensive firepower to get things started.
In just the 3rd minute, Declan Rice hit paydirt to open the scoring.
Only about ten minutes later, England put another one in the back of the net; however, it was deemed to have been offside.
But even with the big guns sitting on the bench, England was easily the more offensively productive team early, with Ezri Konsa adding another off of a corner in the 18th minute.
But why not make it three?
In the 37th minute, Bukayo Saka scored a goal that was certainly not how the Three Lions would’ve drawn it up, but it counts just the same.
And while you’re at it, Mr. Saka, just tack on another for good measure.
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England took a 4-0 lead into halftime after one of the most lopsided first halves of the tournament, and few expected France to be on the receiving end, especially with Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham still on the bench.
And, honestly, it could’ve been worse.
France bounced back from a nightmare first half, and star Kylian Mbappe scored a pair to take the lead in the Golden Boot race and make history. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)
Fortunately for France, they did exactly what they needed to and came out firing in the second half. Mbappe got them on the board in the 48th minute, and put himself ahead of Messi in the Golden Boot race, and even with him in career World Cup goals at 21.
Then, just minutes later, France’s Bradley Barcola added another to make it a 4-2 game.
So, while the first half was all England, the second was all about France, and in the 66th minute, Mbappe made it 4-3, while also extending his Golden Boot lead and taking over the top spot on the all-time World Cup goals list.
What. A. Match.
Who cares about third place, right?
England’s Jude Bellingham and Reece James celebrate Bukayo Saka’s (center) third goal of the Bronze Final match in Miami. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
But after getting several opportunities to tie it up, England was awarded a penalty kick, and that went to Bukayo Saka, who buried it for the hat trick and to give England a little breathing room late in the match.
It’s hard to believe he didn’t play a single minute in the semifinal loss to Argentina, right?
And that breathing room was important, because France wasn’t going to go quietly.
But England answered back immediately with a beauty from Jude Bellingham, his seventh of the tournament, and that was all she wrote.
Unbelievable.
The final score was, incredibly, 6-4. That was the most goals scored in a World Cup third-place match ever, topping the one in 1958 between France and West Germany.
With that win, England may have come up short when it comes to bringing a World Cup title back home, but that was their best finish in a World Cup since they won it in 1966.
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It was an incredible match, and now there’s only one left and its for the World Cup title.
Spain and Argentina will meet on Sunday afternoon at New York-New Jersey Stadium, with the match scheduled to start at 3 pm ET.
Matthew Reigle is a writer for OutKick.
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