• England secured a thrilling 6-4 victory against France in the World Cup 2026 Bronze Final.
• Kylian Mbappé became the all-time leading World Cup scorer, netting twice in the match.
• Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick, while Jude Bellingham set a record for England with seven World Cup goals.

England triumphed over France with a score of 6-4 in an exhilarating World Cup third-place playoff on July 18, as Kylian Mbappé surpassed previous records to become the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. Both teams, having aimed for the championship, faced disappointment in the semi-finals with France losing to Spain and England collapsing in defeat against Argentina, which made this match crucial for pride and redemption, according to Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.

In the sweltering Miami heat, both coaches rotated their lineup significantly. England's Thomas Tuchel excluded stars like Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham from the starting squad, while Didier Deschamps omitted players such as Bradley Barcola. England's Declan Rice opened the scoring from distance just three minutes into the match, followed by Ezri Konsa's header making it 2-0. This early dominance was underscored by Bukayo Saka extending the lead to 3-0 before halftime with two goals, a performance celebrated by Tuchel, as reported by Le Monde and Channel News Asia.

The French team's coach, Deschamps, expressed frustration with the first-half performance, admitting it was "catastrophic" and made crucial substitutions at halftime. These changes included the introduction of Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola, which proved effective as Mbappé quickly capitalized, scoring his ninth goal of the tournament. This transformed the game's momentum; Barcola followed up with another goal for France, and Mbappé later netted his second, thereby establishing himself as the top scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals, as noted by Al Jazeera and Le Monde.

Despite France's surge, England maintained control and were awarded a penalty when Malo Gusto fouled Djed Spence. Saka converted the penalty, bringing his tally to a hat-trick. The match concluded with Jude Bellingham making history as the first England player to score seven goals in a World Cup, securing England's best result since their 1966 victory. Despite competing fiercely, both teams left the tournament with mixed feelings after their earlier exits, with hopes resting on the upcoming finals featuring Argentina and Spain, according to Channel News Asia, Al Jazeera, and Le Monde.