Some matches end. Others linger. The third-place playoff at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, played July 18 at Miami Stadium, was firmly the second kind.
England defeated France 6-4 in a ten-goal thriller that had no business being this entertaining for a match nobody technically had to win. And when the final whistle blew, players from both squads gathered in a joint huddle at center pitch, a moment of collective respect that said more than any post-match press conference could.
What actually happened on the pitch
Bukayo Saka was the story for England, finishing with a hat-trick in a performance that will follow him for the rest of his career.
Jude Bellingham added the exclamation point. His stoppage-time goal sealed the 6-4 scoreline.
