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By Oscar Okhifo
A harvest of goals produced the highest-scoringh match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Saturday as England defeated France 6-4 in a breathtaking 10-goal thriller to clinch the bronze medal.
What was expected to be a routine consolation fixture turned into one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament, with both sides producing attacking football and creating chances throughout an action-packed encounter.
England made a blistering start, racing into a four-goal lead through Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and Bukayo Saka, who struck twice before the break to put Thomas Tuchel’s men firmly in control.
France returned from the break, determined to salvage pride and mounted an impressive fightback.
Inspired by captain Kylian Mbappé, Les Bleus scored four goals to cut into England’s advantage and keep the contest alive until the closing stages.
But England continued to pose problems on the counterattack and refused to surrender their lead.
Saka completed a memorable hat-trick, while Jude Bellingham added England’s sixth goal to seal the victory for the Three Lions.
The 6-4 triumph ensured England finished third at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, providing Thomas Tuchel’s side with a fitting reward after an impressive campaign that ended in heartbreak against Argentina in the semi-finals.
For France, the defeat marked a disappointing end to their campaign after falling to Spain in the last four.
Didier Deschamps’ side showed resilience to stage a spirited comeback but ultimately paid the price for England’s clinical finishing and relentless attacking display.
The third-place playoff also went down as the highest-scoring match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, producing an astonishing 10 goals.
Although they fell short of reaching the final, England ended their campaign on a high, claiming the bronze medal with a thrilling 6-4 victory over France in a contest that will be remembered as one of the tournament’s finest attacking spectacles.