France vs England

The 2026 FIFA World Cup's final match before the grand finale produced the most extraordinary scoreline of the entire tournament, as England beat France 6-4 in a breathless, end-to-end third-place match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami that had the crowd on its feet from start to finish. Ten goals, seven different scorers, and a performance of unrestrained attacking football from two nations who no longer had anything to lose — it was the perfect farewell gift from two great footballing cultures to a tournament that has already delivered so much drama. With neither side carrying the psychological burden of a final to prepare for, both managers — Didier Deschamps in the last game of his 14-year reign as France manager, and Thomas Tuchel — fielded attacking line-ups and allowed their players to express themselves freely. The result was a match that will be remembered for decades. Kylian Mbappé, entering the match tied with Lionel Messi on eight goals in the Golden Boot race, delivered one of his finest individual displays of the tournament — scoring twice to finish with ten goals, the outright record for a single World Cup tournament, surpassing Messi's nine. Mbappé now stands alone as the all-time leading scorer in a single World Cup, a record that cements his place among the greats — even without the winner's medal he craved. For England, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham both contributed in a performance that felt like a celebration of everything the Three Lions have produced at this tournament. England's final tally of six goals was the highest scored by any team in a third-place match since 1986. Jude Bellingham, England's player of the tournament without question, received a standing ovation when substituted off in the 75th minute — a moment that encapsulated the affection built between this England generation and the watching world over the past few weeks. England finish third at a World Cup for the first time since 1966 — 60 years on from their only title. France finish fourth, with Deschamps departing after 14 years having won one World Cup, one European Championship and reached three World Cup finals. Two legacies, honoured in the sunshine in Miami. Tomorrow belongs to Spain and Argentina.