England secured their best FIFA World Cup finish since lifting the trophy in 1966 after defeating France 6-4 to claim the bronze medal at the 2026 tournament.
Bukayo Saka starred with a hat-trick, while Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and Jude Bellingham also found the net in a thrilling third-place play-off that many fans hailed as one of the best matches of the competition.
The victory came just days after England’s heartbreaking semi-final defeat to Argentina, where Thomas Tuchel’s side surrendered a 1-0 lead in the closing stages before losing their place in the final.
Although France missed out on the bronze medal, captain Kylian Mbappé finished the tournament as the leading scorer, overtaking Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race with 22 goals.
England’s emphatic display sparked mixed emotions among supporters, many of whom questioned why the team had failed to produce the same attacking performance against Argentina.
One fan wrote: “Dear England. Where the f*** was this energy against Argentina????”
Another supporter joked about the often-overlooked third-place play-off, writing: “France and England in a pointless third-place match.”
Many fans described the match as the standout fixture of the tournament.
“Best game at the World Cup so far. No referees controversies, no robberies. Just pure football and goals galore,” one supporter posted.
Another fan labelled it “the real World Cup final”, while another added: “That was easily the best match of the entire World Cup.”
One supporter also praised both teams, saying: “Credit to both teams for producing a match worthy of the occasion. Pure entertainment from start to finish.”
Attention now turns to the World Cup final, where Argentina will face Spain on Sunday for the 2026 FIFA World Cup title.