England secured a bronze medal at the 2026 World Cup after a dramatic 6-4 win over France in the third-place play-off, their best finish at the tournament since winning it outright in 1966. Stand-in captain Declan Rice hailed the current squad as the strongest England group in years, insisting major tournament glory is now within reach despite the disappointment of losing to Argentina in the semi-final.

The Miami victory capped an emotional week for the team, with assistant manager Anthony Barry visibly moved during a half-time interview, describing players performing "with broken hearts" following the semi-final exit. Manager Thomas Tuchel, who delivered England's best World Cup finish under a non-English manager, looks set to continue into Euro 2028 on home soil, though questions remain over England's long-standing struggle to beat elite nations at major tournaments, a pattern some trace back to their 2002 win over Argentina.