Well, that happened.
France came into Saturday’s third-place match against England hoping to salvage some pride after a semifinal loss to Argentina. Instead, they walked off the field at halftime down 4-0, having conceded more goals in one half than they had in any major tournament ever. Not exactly the sendoff Didier Deschamps deserved in his final match as manager.
England, meanwhile, looked like a team with something to prove. Thomas Tuchel made plenty of changes to the lineup after a disappointing semifinal performance. And his reserves? They played like they wanted to keep those spots.
England’s Fast Start Shocked Everyone
It took all of two minutes for Declan Rice to pick off a pass, stride forward, and curl one in from outside the box. The captain’s goal set the tone. France never really recovered.
Ezri Konsa doubled the lead with a clever back-header off a set piece. Bukayo Saka made it 3-0 after a lightning counter that left Mike Maignan stranded in no-man’s land. Then Saka scored again before halftime, beating Lucas Hernandez for pace and slotting home. That made it 4-0. That made it a record England had never touched against France.
By the break, French fans were quiet. English fans were singing. And Deschamps was staring at a scoreboard that looked like a typo.
France Woke Up. Too Little, Too Late.
To their credit, Les Bleus came out with more urgency in the second half. Michael Olise linked up with Kylian Mbappé and buried one in the 55th minute. Suddenly it was 4-1. Suddenly the crowd started buzzing again.
Substitute Bradley Barcola added a second for France, cutting the lead to 4-2 and making things interesting. England’s defense looked rattled for a stretch. But the Three Lions held on. Mbappé had a few chances to pile on the drama — he’s now at nine goals for the tournament, leading the Golden Boot race and matching Gerd Müller’s single-tournament mark — but England keeper Dean Henderson denied him twice from close range.
Eberechi Eze nearly made it 5-2 late, breaking away from three defenders before attempting an audacious chip that sailed wide. It summed up England’s night. They took risks. Most of them paid off.
What This Means for Both Sides
For England, it’s a bronze medal and a statement. The backups showed they can compete at this level. For France, it’s a rough ending to the Deschamps era. The federation president confirmed a new manager will be announced later this month. Reports point to Zinedine Zidane taking over.
Mbappé will leave with the Golden Boot. France will leave with questions about a defense that gave up seven goals in two matches. And England? They’ll leave Miami with a trophy and a memory that won’t fade anytime soon.
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