England Secures Third Place at World Cup with 6-4 Victory Over France

Bukayo Saka, Ezri Konsa, Declan Rice, and Jude Bellingham all scored for England, completing a comprehensive and dominant display.

Didier Deschamps managed his final game as France manager, concluding his 14-year tenure at the national team's helm.

His departure now paves the way for Zinedine Zidane, who takes over and shifts French football's direction.

For France, Ibrahima Konate started but exited at half-time with his team trailing 4-0.

Konate stated that not one France player wanted to play in the bronze final match.

This sentiment starkly contrasted with England's drive, even as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham started on the bench against France.

Following the match, the England squad received their bronze medals on a podium in Miami, parading them for travelling supporters.

The team arrived back home from the World Cup on Sunday afternoon, July 19, 2026, concluding their tournament journey.

Manager Thomas Tuchel remains with England through Euro 2028, a tournament the nation will co-host.

Tuchel confronted concerns about fan confidence, stating, "I don't think that we lost the trust. I don't think I lost the trust."

He acknowledged the lingering pain of missing the final, stating, "the disappointment is great, but the damage is not terminal."

Tuchel also noted, "Whatever happened in these 30 minutes against Argentina, or maybe 45 minutes in the second half against Argentina when we became too passive... whatever happened, why it happened, whatever happened in the last 10 minutes, we were close - but it's my job to take decisions."

Critics heavily scrutinized Tuchel for his tactics against Argentina, specifically his decision to switch to a back five to defend a 1-0 lead.

Many analysts argued Tuchel should have maintained an attacking press rather than bringing on extra defenders against Lionel Messi and his teammates.

Coaching staff member Anthony Barry recognized the skepticism surrounding the third-place play-off, noting, "I know what the cynics will say - 'it's too late' - but we're still playing against a world-class opponent."

Barry spoke of the team's performance during the second half, adding, "And that 45 minutes, I'm so proud of the boys."

Midfielder Declan Rice spoke of the achievement, stating, "To come third in this tournament is a real achievement."

Rice also articulated a broader ambition, remarking, "We're tired of saying we're proud of coming in semi-finals and quarter-finals - we want to win with England ultimately."

He expressed confidence in the team's trajectory, believing, "Major tournament success is close for England," and emphasized, "We're so close, honestly."

Rice highlighted the team's progress, saying, "There's been so much talk about this group over the last few years going out of tournaments."

He concluded, "I think we need to keep going. I do think it's close. It's a game of small margins. It's football and the other night we lost on margins and in the boxes."

Harry Kane described the current squad as "One of the best England groups that I have ever been a part of."

Kane highlighted the team's cohesion, stating, "We had that bond and had so much belief in each other."

The team's semi-final defeat to Argentina means England has reached at least the last four in four of their last five major international tournaments.

This consistent performance places them among the most successful England squads in recent history, echoing the deep runs of the 1990s and early 2000s.

The squad spent the bulk of their World Cup journey stationed in Kansas City, establishing a central base for their campaign.

They played matches across diverse North American venues, including Dallas, Boston, New York, Atlanta, Mexico City, and Miami, navigating extensive travel.

Jordan Henderson suffered a broken arm while celebrating England's round of 16 triumph in Mexico, a setback that impacted the squad's depth.

Their next international fixture will be against Spain in the Nations League on September 26th, marking the beginning of the next competitive cycle.

The Euro 2028 final will take place at Wembley, offering England a home advantage for a major tournament final.