England defeated France 6-4 in a spectacular third-place match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a dramatic second half full of goals. The Three Lions built a huge advantage in the first half by scoring four goals, but Les Bleus produced a remarkable comeback after the break and reduced the deficit to one goal before England finally secured victory in stoppage time.
France completely changed the game after halftime and quickly returned to the contest. Kylian Mbappé started the comeback in the 48th minute after a pass from Michael Olise, before Bradley Barcola scored in the 54th minute to make it 2-4. Mbappé added his second goal in the 66th minute after combining with Ousmane Dembélé and Olise, giving France hope of an incredible turnaround. However, Bukayo Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 87th minute after Gusto fouled Spence inside the box.
England resisted France’s late pressure, but Dembélé kept the suspense alive by scoring in the 90th minute after a brilliant run from Dayot Upamecano. The Three Lions finally sealed the win when Jude Bellingham scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time to make it 6-4.
England finished third in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while France ended the tournament with a painful defeat despite a memorable second-half fightback.
