England Dominates France in Thrilling Third Place Match
In a dazzling display of football prowess, England secured the third spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup by overcoming France with a staggering score of 6-4 in Miami on July 18, 2026. This remarkable achievement marks England's best performance in the tournament since their sole championship win in 1966. The match witnessed a blend of reserve players from both teams as they navigated the disappointment of exiting the semi-finals. England took an early lead in the first half, netting four goals, courtesy of Declan Rice (3rd minute), Ezri Konsa (18th minute), and Bukayo Saka, who scored twice (37th and 45+1 minutes).
The French team, however, was not ready to back down easily and made a valiant attempt to turn the game around with three goals from Kylian Mbappé (48th and 66th minutes) and Bradley Barcola (54th minute). But Saka extinguished their hopes with a well-placed penalty kick in the 87th minute. Despite a late effort from Ousmane Dembélé, who scored in the 90+6 minute, Jude Bellingham sealed the match with England's sixth goal in the 90+8 minute, cementing their victory.
Interestingly, this match also witnessed Kylian Mbappé breaking the record for the most goals scored in a single World Cup edition, netting his tenth goal to surpass the previous record of 22 goals held by Lionel Messi, who himself has scored 8 goals in this tournament and is set to play in the final against Spain tomorrow in New Jersey. As the football community eagerly anticipates the final showdown at New Jersey's stadium, the excitement continues to build around this exceptional global football event.
As reported by thevoice.ma.
