England Beat France 6-4 to Finish Third at the World Cup

What happened:

Watch the highlights:

England finished third at the World Cup after beating France 6-4 in a chaotic third-place match, according to The Guardian. Thomas Tuchel’s side raced into a 4-0 half-time lead through Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and two goals from Bukayo Saka, then had to withstand a France response after Didier Deschamps made changes at the break.

The match ended as a bronze-medal win for England, but the shape of it was far from comfortable. France pulled the margin back to one goal during the second half, turning what looked like a controlled England performance into a test of nerve. Tuchel called it a very emotional day for the squad and said the players could be proud, while also noting that bronze is not something a team ever fully celebrates.

Tournament impact:

For England, the result locks in a first third-place finish at a World Cup. That is not the prize the team came for, but it still changes the tournament record and gives Tuchel a concrete finish to point to after the disappointment of missing the final. The bigger football point is more complicated: England showed enough attacking force to blow France open, then enough fragility to make the game tense again.

Why it matters:

That tension is what makes the result more useful than a simple bronze-medal headline. A 4-0 half-time lead against France says England’s front-foot phases were devastating. Conceding enough after the break to be dragged back within one says control remains an issue against elite opposition. For a team trying to turn tournament progress into tournament wins, both truths matter.

France angle:

The match was also Deschamps’ final game in charge of France after 14 years, according to the report. Kylian Mbappé scored as part of the comeback, taking his tally to 10 goals at this World Cup and 22 World Cup goals overall. The Guardian reports that he surpassed Lionel Messi’s all-time record, with Messi still due to play for Argentina in Sunday’s final against Spain and able to move back ahead.

What to watch:

England leave with a podium finish, but the review will be sharper than the medal suggests. Tuchel has evidence of resilience and attacking punch, yet the second-half swing against France will demand attention. For France, the immediate consequence is transition: Deschamps’ era ends with a match that showed both the squad’s attacking threat and the volatility of a team already looking toward its next cycle.

Confidence:

Confirmed by the source: England beat France 6-4 for third place, England led 4-0 at half-time, Rice, Konsa and Saka scored before the break, Mbappé scored and reached the totals stated, and Deschamps was taking charge of his final France game. Follow-up is needed for full scoring order, substitutions, tactical details and any post-match squad implications beyond the reported comments.