new delhi, Jul 19
What do you get when two teams stacked with an abundance of attacking talent play a match with nothing to lose? A game for the ages! When England faced France for the bronze medal match in Fifa World Cup 2026, many expected it to be a drab affair. In reality, the match turned out to be one of the best matches of the World Cup, with England claiming the bragging rights with a 6-4 win. Following a disheartening loss to Argentina in Wednesday’s semi-final, England quickly bounced back, taking a commanding four-goal lead in the first half of a tumultuous match that dispelled any pre-game pessimism.
France looked hapless in front of England’s wave of attacks in spite of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham starting the game from the bench.
Saka netted twice in the first half after Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa had established England’s dominance within the first 20 minutes.
This marked the first time since April 1930 that France found themselves trailing by four goals at halftime, and it was evident that manager Didier Deschamps delivered a stern message during the break – as this was his final match in charge of the national team.
Following the break, the game saw a momentum shift, as France managed to score three goals and squandered several clear opportunities to level the match.
Kylian Mbappe scored twice on either side of a Bradley Barcola strike, which positioned him in the lead for the 2026 Golden Boot and allowed him to surpass Lionel Messi as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals.
However, Saka secured his hat-trick by converting a penalty in the 87th minute after Djed Spence was brought down by Malo Gusto.
In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Ousmane Dembele scored to reduce the deficit to 5-4; however, Jude Bellingham skillfully maneuvered through the French defense to secure England’s victory in the 98th minute.
France had never previously allowed six goals in a World Cup match. This marks the first occasion in 66 years that they have conceded six goals in any match.
Bellingham, on the other hand, concludes his outstanding individual tournament with seven goals at this World Cup, the highest tally for any England men’s player in a single tournament.
Bronze-medal matches are often dismissed as meaningless, but England and France rewrote that narrative in spectacular fashion. Ten goals, relentless attacking football and moments of individual brilliance turned a consolation fixture into a World Cup classic, ensuring the tournament’s penultimate act was every bit as memorable as its biggest nights.
