Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick and Kylian Mbappé netted twice to move ahead of Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot standings, as England secured third place in the highest-scoring World Cup playoff in history.
In a historic ten-goal thriller, England defeated France 6-4 to secure the bronze medal in the World Cup third-place playoff at Miami Stadium on Saturday, in the highest-scoring match of the 2026 tournament.
England blitzed France with a 4-0 lead by halftime. Declan Rice scored a curling opener in the third minute, followed by an Ezri Konsa header and a clinical Bukayo Saka brace. France responded aggressively in the second half, led by Kylian Mbappé, who scored twice in the 48th and 66th minutes to temporarily equal the all-time tournament goals record. Bradley Barcola added a third in the 54th minute, and Ousmane Dembélé scored deep in stoppage time.
📢 GET A DETAILED ARTICLES + JOBS
Join ASJ's WhatsApp Channel and never miss a post or opportunity.
However, a late Saka penalty completed his hat-trick in the 87th minute, and a stoppage-time goal from Jude Bellingham sealed England’s bronze medal victory. French winger Michael Olise also tied Pelé’s 1970 single-tournament record by registering his sixth assist of the competition.
England finished with 10 shots on target to France’s nine, with both sides completing passes at 92 percent accuracy. Neither team received a yellow or red card during the high-scoring fluid fixture.
Bukayo Saka was voted Man of the Match, earning a 9/10 rating after demolishing France’s left flank and completing his hat-trick via a late penalty. Declan Rice earned 8.5/10 for dominating the midfield early on, while Kylian Mbappé earned 8/10 for his second-half resurgence.
Following the match, England now leads the all-time series against France with 18 wins to France’s 10, with five draws. In World Cup meetings, England leads the series 3-1.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, the tournament now shifts to MetLife Stadium for the final match on Sunday, July 19, where reigning champions Argentina will defend their crown against European giants Spain.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on July 18, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
🏟️ Discover More Sports Stories
Looking for more in-depth sports news, interviews, and features? Visit Accra Sports News — your go-to for exclusive sports content in Ghana and beyond.
Disclaimer: Some content on Accra Street Journal may be aggregated, summarized, or edited from third-party sources for informational purposes. Images and media are used under fair use or royalty-free licenses. Accra Street Journal is a subsidiary of SamBoad Publishing Hub under SamBoad Business Group Ltd, registered in Ghana since 2014.
For concerns or inquiries, please visit our Privacy Policy or Contact Page.
Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
