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Brilliant first half, turbulent second – Tuchel
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3'
Goal Declan RICE (England) scores!!
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18'
Goal Ezri KONSA (England) scores!!
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37'
Goal Bukayo SAKA (England) scores!!
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45'+1'
Goal Bukayo SAKA (England) scores!!
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48'
Goal Kylian MBAPPE (France) scores!!
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54'
Goal Bradley BARCOLA (France) scores!!
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66'
Goal Kylian MBAPPE (France) scores!!
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90'+6'
Goal Ousmane DEMBELE (France) scores!!
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90'+8'
Goal Jude BELLINGHAM (England) scores!!
France squad
- Selected
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2 Malo GUSTO Defender
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10 Kylian MBAPPE C Forward
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11 Michael OLISE Forward
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14 Adrien RABIOT Midfielder
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15 Ibrahima KONATE Defender
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16 Mike MAIGNAN Goalkeeper
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18 Warren ZAIRE-EMERY Midfielder
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19 Theo HERNANDEZ Defender
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20 Desire DOUE Forward
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24 Rayan CHERKI Midfielder
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26 Maxence Lacroix Defender
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1 Brice SAMBA Goalkeeper
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3 Lucas Digne Defender
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4 Dayot UPAMECANO Defender
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5 Jules KOUNDE Defender
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6 Manu KONE Midfielder
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7 Ousmane DEMBELE Forward
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8 Aurelien TCHOUAMENI Midfielder
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9 Marcus THURAM Forward
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12 Bradley BARCOLA Forward
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13 Ngolo KANTE Midfielder
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17 William SALIBA Defender
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21 Lucas HERNANDEZ Defender
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22 Jean-Philippe MATETA Forward
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23 Robin RISSER Goalkeeper
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25 Maghnes AKLIOUCHE Midfielder
England squad
- Selected
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2 Ezri KONSA Defender
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4 Declan RICE C Midfielder
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6 Marc GUEHI Defender
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7 Bukayo SAKA Forward
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11 Marcus RASHFORD Forward
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13 Dean Henderson Goalkeeper
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17 Morgan ROGERS Midfielder
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21 Eberechi EZE Midfielder
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22 Ivan TONEY Forward
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25 Djed SPENCE Defender
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26 Jarell QUANSAH Defender
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1 Jordan PICKFORD Goalkeeper
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3 Nico OREILLY Defender
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5 John STONES Defender
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8 Elliot ANDERSON Midfielder
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9 Harry KANE Forward
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10 Jude BELLINGHAM Midfielder
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12 Trevoh CHALOBAH Defender
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14 Jordan HENDERSON Midfielder
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15 Dan BURN Defender
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18 Anthony GORDON Forward
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19 Ollie WATKINS Forward
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20 Noni MADUEKE Forward
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23 James TRAFFORD Goalkeeper
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24 Reece JAMES Defender
- Full squad
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16 Kobbie MAINOO Midfielder
England secured third place at the 2026 World Cup by defeating France in a high-scoring playoff match. Manager Thomas Tuchel expressed satisfaction with his team's efforts despite the match's inconsistent flow, with the English side ultimately prevailing 6-4 in what proved to be an unpredictable contest.
The encounter was marked by sharply differing phases, with England's opening period delivering impressive football before the second half deteriorated into a chaotic affair. Despite the turbulence and swings in momentum, Tuchel's squad managed to maintain their advantage and close out the victory, demonstrating resilience through the match's demanding moments.
In short
- England defeated France 6-4 in the 2026 World Cup third-place playoff
- Manager Thomas Tuchel praised his squad despite the match's volatile nature
- England dominated the first half but faced challenges in a turbulent second period
Explained simply
The FIFA World Cup is the world's most important international football tournament, held every four years with nations competing for global supremacy. The third-place playoff determines which team finishes third overall – a significant achievement that marks a nation among the world's strongest in football.
England and France are both major football nations with strong international records. Both teams reached the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup before meeting in the third-place playoff.
Finishing third at a World Cup is a meaningful achievement and reflects success at the highest level of international football. Thomas Tuchel is England's manager and led the team through this tournament campaign, with his analysis of their performance providing important perspective on the team's progress.