England secured third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating France 6-4 in a thrilling playoff match at Miami Stadium on Saturday
The Three Lions dominated the first half, taking a 4-0 lead before the break. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute, Ezri Konsa doubled the advantage in the 18th minute, while Bukayo Saka netted twice in the 37th and 45th minutes.
France mounted a strong second-half comeback, reducing the deficit through Kylian Mbappe in the 48th minute before Bradley Barcola made it 4-2 six minutes later. Mbappe struck again in the 66th minute to bring France within one goal.
England restored their two-goal cushion in the 87th minute when Saka converted a penalty to complete his hat-trick and make it 5-3.
France refused to back down as Ousmane Dembele scored deep into stoppage time to cut the deficit to 5-4. However, Jude Bellingham sealed the victory moments later with England’s sixth goal of the night.
The 6-4 win ensured England finished third at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Saka’s hat-trick proving decisive in an entertaining 10-goal encounter.
Follow Us on Facebook – @LadunLiadi; Instagram – @LadunLiadi; Twitter – @LadunLiadi; Youtube – @LadunLiadiTV for updates
