England defeated France 6-4 in the World Cup third-place match in Miami Gardens, earning bronze and their best men's World Cup finish since 1966. Bukayo Saka scored three times, while Jude Bellingham came off the bench to add a decisive late solo goal.
England built a commanding first-half lead after Declan Rice struck early, Ezri Konsa added another, and Saka helped turn the match sharply in their favour. France changed the tone after halftime, with Kylian Mbappé central to a comeback that reduced the gap and put England under pressure.
The game became unusually open for a medal match: the report cites 38 total shots, split evenly between the teams, and 20 on target. Both sides had made seven lineup changes, while Didier Deschamps used four halftime substitutions in what the report says was his final match after 14 years in charge of France.
For England, the bronze offers a concrete response after semifinal disappointment, though the defensive wobble will remain part of the review. For France, the second-half surge showed attacking quality but could not undo a poor opening period.
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