Kathmandu: England claimed third place at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after defeating France 6-4 in a thrilling playoff match in Miami, USA, on Sunday. The high-scoring contest produced the most goals in a single match at this year's tournament.

England raced into a commanding 4-0 lead before halftime, but France staged a spirited comeback in the second half before England sealed victory with two late goals.

England Dominate the First Half
England made a dream start when Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute. Defender Ezri Konsa doubled the lead in the 18th minute before Bukayo Saka struck twice—once in the 37th minute and again in first-half stoppage time—to give England a stunning 4-0 advantage at the break.

Interestingly, England began the match without regular captain Harry Kane, who did not feature, while Jude Bellingham was introduced later in the game.

France Fight Back After the Break
France completely transformed the contest after halftime. Captain Kylian Mbappé scored twice, while Bradley Barcola added another as Les Bleus cut the deficit and threatened an unlikely comeback.

Despite France's momentum, England regained control in the closing stages. Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 87th minute before Bellingham added England's sixth goal in stoppage time.

France managed one final goal through Ousmane Dembélé in added time, but it was not enough to prevent defeat.

Mbappé Sets New World Cup Scoring Record
Although France finished fourth, Mbappé delivered another outstanding individual performance.

His two goals took his tally to 10 goals in the 2026 World Cup, making him the tournament's leading scorer. He also became the highest scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 22 career goals, surpassing previous records.

Argentina captain Lionel Messi is second on the all-time list with 21 World Cup goals and has scored eight goals during the current tournament.

Golden Boot Race Heads to the Final
Mbappé's 10-goal haul places him in pole position for the Golden Boot.

Messi, who will lead Argentina against Spain in the World Cup final, would need a hat-trick to match Mbappé's tournament tally and at least two goals to equal his overall World Cup scoring record.

World Cup Final Up Next
With the third-place playoff concluded, attention now turns to the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, where defending champions Argentina will face Spain in a blockbuster title clash.

England finish the tournament in third place, while France settle for fourth after an unforgettable 10-goal encounter that will be remembered as one of the most entertaining matches of the competition.