England beat France to claim bronze at the 2026 World Cup
This is reported by OBOZ.UA
Four goals in a half and a lead that was almost squandered
Despite both teams fielding experimental line-ups, the English side took the initiative from the outset. By half-time, the French had been unable to find a response to their opponents’ swift attacks and had conceded four goals.
Declan Rice opened the scoring, followed by two goals from Bukayo Saka, with Ezra Konsa adding another. The teams went into the break with the score at 4–0 to England.
After the break, the match took a dramatic turn. Didier Deschamps immediately breathed new life into the game with four substitutions, and France nearly staged an incredible comeback. Kylian Mbappé and Bradley Barcolai reduced the deficit to a single goal, reigniting the suspense in the battle for bronze.
However, the English had the final say. In the 87th minute, Bakayoko Saka confidently converted a penalty, and in stoppage time the sides exchanged goals once more. The final whistle confirmed England’s high-scoring victory — 6–4.
England’s first medal since 1966
For the England national team, this is only their second medal in the history of the World Cup. Until now, the team’s sole success had been the ‘gold’ at the 1966 home World Cup. France, meanwhile, finished the tournament without a medal for the first time in the last three World Cups.
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