England Beats France 6-4: Epic 10-Goal World Cup Bronze Match!

 

​England vs France: The 10-Goal Thriller That Broke the World Cup

​Did you honestly think a third-place match at the world cup would be a boring, defensive stalemate?

​If you did, you missed out on absolute madness. What happened in Miami wasn't just a soccer game. It was a 10-goal shootout that shattered records, ended legendary managerial runs, and gave us the highest scoring world cup game we have seen in modern history [1].

​We expected the france england game to be a gritty battle between two heavyweights licking their wounds after semi-final heartbreaks. Instead, the england national football team dismantled the french defense in the first half, only for the france national football team to come roaring back in a breathless second period.

​If you are wondering exactly what went down in this fifa 2026 classic, sit tight. I'm going to walk you through every shocking moment of this unforgettable bronze medal world cup match.

​

​The First Half: An Absolute English Masterclass

​No one could have predicted the sheer dominance of the england starting 11 in the opening 45 minutes [1]. The game barely started before declan rice found the back of the net in the 3rd minute.

​Before france goalkeeper mike maignan even had a chance to organize his backline, things got worse for Les Bleus. ezri konsa rose up for a brilliant header off a corner kick in the 18th minute, doubling the lead [1].

​But this half belonged to one man: bukayo saka.

​While millions tuned into their world cup live streams, saka put on a clinic. He struck his first goal in the 37th minute and hammered home another right on the stroke of halftime (45') [1]. France's defense, featuring upamecano and malo gusto, simply fell apart. The halftime whistle blew with a stunning 4-0 world cup score [1].

​You have to wonder what Didier Deschamps told his team in the locker room. In his final match after a legendary 14-year run as the manager of the france national football team, he was staring down the barrel of a humiliating defeat [4].

​The French Resistance and Mbappé's Historic Night

​If you thought the second half of the england vs france live broadcast was going to be a casual victory lap for the Three Lions, you were dead wrong.

​Deschamps made massive changes at halftime. Off went ibrahima konate and theo hernandez, and on came dayot upamecano and lucas digne [1]. France desperately needed a spark, and kylian mbappe delivered one for the history books.

​Mbappé struck fast. He found the net in the 48th minute, assisted a goal for bradley barcola in the 54th, and then smashed home his second of the night in the 66th minute [1]. Just like that, the france vs england score tightened to 4-3.

​Let me stop right here because this is massive: With those two goals, Mbappé didn't just bring his team back into the match. He permanently etched his name into soccer history. Mbappé became the world cup's all-time leading goalscorer with 22 career goals, officially blowing past Lionel Messi (who sits at 21) [4].

​And we can't talk about France's second-half surge without mentioning michael olise. He broke a record of his own, recording his 7th assist of the tournament—surpassing the legendary Pelé for the most assists in a single fifa world cup [4].

​

​Saka’s Hat-Trick and the Final Blow

​With the momentum heavily shifting and the crowd in Miami roaring, it felt like a French equalizer was inevitable. The pressure was suffocating.

​Then, in the 86th minute, disaster struck for France. Malo Gusto fouled Djed Spence inside the penalty area [4]. The referee pointed to the spot, and up stepped b saka.

​Cool as you like, Saka buried the penalty to complete his hat-trick and restore a two-goal cushion for england [1]. Saka became only the second player in history to score a hat-trick against France at the worldcup, joining Pelé, who did it back in 1958 [4].

​Did France quit? Absolutely not. ousmane dembele kept the drama alive by scoring a stunning goal six minutes into stoppage time to make it 5-4 [1].

​But just as France threw every single player forward in a desperate search for an equalizer, england hit them on a lethal counter-attack. jude bellingham, who came off the bench earlier, found himself in acres of space and coolly finished the job in the 98th minute [1].

​6-4. Full time. The highest scoring world cup game of modern times [1].

​Why Was Harry Kane Missing?

​A lot of fans searching for the england vs france score online were asking the exact same question: why is harry kane not playing today? Or more specifically, why is kane not playing tonight?

​While Kane was listed on the bench, manager Thomas Tuchel opted for Ivan Toney to lead the line in the starting XI [1]. With a grueling tournament taking its toll on the players' legs, Tuchel utilized his squad depth, bringing on fresh attackers like eberechi eze and Bellingham in the second half [1]. Clearly, the tactical rotation paid off, allowing England's electric wingers to run riot against a fatigued French defense.

​Similarly, fans asked: is jude bellingham playing today? Yes, he was! While he didn't start, he came on in the 78th minute for Eze and ultimately sealed the win with that beautiful stoppage-time goal [1].

​The Aftermath: What This Means for Both Teams

​This 3rd place world cup match wasn't just a consolation game; it was a statement.

​For england and france, it marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter. France bids farewell to Didier Deschamps, closing a 14-year saga that brought them ultimate glory in 2018 but ends with a bitter bronze medal miss [4]. Mbappé, however, leaves as the undisputed king of world cup goals.

​For England, taking the bronze medal world cup honors provides genuine momentum. After crushing heartbreak in previous tournaments, hanging six goals on a fierce rival like France is a monumental confidence booster.

​As the dust settles on this chaotic match, the entire planet is now turning its attention to the grand finale. The world waits to see who won the world cup 2026 tomorrow, when Spain squares off against Argentina in what promises to be a legendary clash [2].

​But no matter what happens in the final, nobody will ever forget the day England and France went to war and gave us 10 glorious goals in Miami.

​Frequently Asked Questions

​What was the final score of the England vs France 2026 match?

England defeated France with a final score of 6-4 in the third-place match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making it the highest-scoring game of the tournament [1].

​Who scored the goals in the England vs France match today?

For England, Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick, with Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and Jude Bellingham adding one goal each. For France, Kylian Mbappé scored twice, while Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé each scored once [1].

​Did Kylian Mbappé break a record in the 2026 World Cup?

Yes. With his two goals against England, Kylian Mbappé reached 22 career World Cup goals, officially passing Lionel Messi to become the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history [4].

​Why didn't Harry Kane start against France?

Harry Kane was named as a substitute, likely due to tactical rotation and tournament fatigue. Ivan Toney started as the central striker, and England's game plan focused on utilizing pace on the wings [1].

​Who had the most assists in the 2026 World Cup?

France's Michael Olise set the record for the most assists in a single World Cup tournament. He recorded his 7th assist during the match against England, breaking Pelé's previous record of six [4].