The World Cup bronze medal match in Miami was supposed to be a consolation prize. Instead, it turned into one of the most ridiculous games in tournament history. England beat France 6-4 in a game that had everything — comebacks, hat-trick history, penalty drama, and a final score that looked more like a football score. Soccer score. Whatever you call it, it was a lot.
First Half: England Just Kept Scoring
England came out and basically said, “We’re not going to let that Argentina semifinal loss define us.” By halftime, they were up 4-0. Bukayo Saka had a penalty, Declan Rice scored his first World Cup goal — that one actually stood after a brief offside check — and Marcus Rashford was everywhere. Jude Bellingham was so locked in he was on his feet celebrating other people’s goals. That’s the kind of energy you want in a game that technically doesn’t matter but clearly does.
Kylian Mbappé had other plans. He’s now the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer, and he spent the second half reminding everyone why. He scored twice and set up another, dragging France back into it at 4-3 and then 5-4. At one point it felt like France might actually complete the comeback. But then Jude Bellingham did that thing he does — picked the ball up at midfield, carried it all the way, and buried it in the bottom corner. 6-4. Game over.
Six Goals in the Second Half Alone
There was a hydration break, if you can believe that. Like the game needed more stoppages. But even the pause couldn’t slow things down. Dembélé scored, Mbappé scored, and England’s defense looked like they were running through quicksand for a good 20-minute stretch. Jordan Henderson, filling in for Pickford, kept making saves that probably kept England from collapsing entirely. He had one hell of a game.
And then there’s Saka. He was reportedly dealing with an injury before the match, but you wouldn’t know it from the way he played. He scored, drew the penalty, and generally made France’s left side miserable all night. Arsenal fans are going to remember this one for a while.
The 10 combined goals broke the record for a third-place match. The previous record was nine, set back in 1958 when France beat West Germany 6-3. So yeah, history happened. And it happened in Miami, in front of a crowd that seemed unsure whether to be entertained or exhausted.
What Comes Next
France’s next manager is expected to be Zinedine Zidane, according to reports from the French federation. That’ll be confirmed later this month. For England, the question is whether this result is a springboard or just a fun footnote. They led Argentina late in the semifinal and lost. Then they scored six goals against France. That’s the kind of emotional whiplash that can either build character or drive a team crazy.
Either way, don’t let anyone tell you the third-place game is pointless. Not after this.
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