England defeated France 6-4 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place playoff on July 18, 2026, at the Stade de France. Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick for England, while Kylian Mbappé became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with his 17th goal, surpassing Miroslav Klose's record of 16.
The match was a high-scoring affair, with both teams pushing forward after disappointing semifinal losses. England's goals came from Saka (three), Harry Kane (two), and Jude Bellingham (one). For France, Mbappé scored twice, with additional goals from Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud.
Mbappé's record-breaking goal came in the 35th minute, a powerful strike from outside the box. The 27-year-old French captain now holds the record for most goals in World Cup history, a milestone he achieved in his third tournament.
England's bronze medal is their best result since winning the tournament in 1966. Manager Gareth Southgate praised his team's resilience after the semifinal defeat to Brazil.
