France 4-6 England - 2026 World Cup Match Report

10 goal thriller in a pointless match. What on earth was that?: France 4-6 England

It wasn't exactly a game that tickled the tastebuds on paper but, for those of us who did decide tuning in was worth it, it certainly was worth it.

Some rotation from both managers, Deschamps' last dance, Tuchel with a point to prove and a 10 goal thriller that almost nobody could have predicted pre game, or could predict at any point during the 90 minutes.

Mental.

France 4-6 England as it happened

The game may not have meant much to the fans, or the players themselves for that matter, but England wasted no time in letting out their frustrations from the Argentina game.

A lackadaisical ball across the midfield by Doué was intercepted by Rice who drove forward under almost no pressure and fired into the bottom corner. Two minutes in, 1-0 England.

England didn’t let up from there either, with some front footed football creating a couple of chances soon after Rice’s goal, the most notable of which a Rashford effort that was deflected behind for a corner.

France nearly found a way in on goal through Kylian Mbappe but his darting run was just about thwarted by an outstretched leg by Djed Spence.

France didn’t let get in the 10th minute, a swift move down the left saw the ball pulled back to Cherki in the edge who struck hard at Henderson. The shot was comfortably parried away, though.

Saka then scored a goal ultimately disallowed for offside before another rapid France attack couldn’t quite break through the English backline.

My frantic writing could barely keep up with the action. Who said it was a third place game, eh?

It looked as though France may establish themselves with a bit of possession from there, and that was the case until the 18th minute when a Rice ball found Konsa’s rising figure at the front post who nodded into Maignan’s far corner to make it two.

WHERE WAS THIS WHEN WE NEEDED IT IN THE SEMI FINAL LADS?

Finally, a bit of a lull followed the hydration break, giving my fingers a much needed break.

That didn’t last long, though, and the end to end nature of the game returned soon after. A deft nutmeg and strike by Rashford was well pushed away by Maignan before an Mbappe strike was saved well by Henderson…

But it was the Three Lions who struck AGAIN in the 36th minute. A ball over the top saw Rashford hare toward goal. Maignan made himself big and saved the initial effort which bounced to Saka. The Arsenal man saw his attempt blocked in the line before Rashford again received the ball, calmly slotting it back into Saka who found the net despite a last ditch attempted tackle.

3-0 England. If only this was the final.

Oh, you thought we were done? Well, you’d be wrong. In the 46th minute England could yet another gap (the story of the first half to be fair).

Eberechi Eze took the ball under pressure and spun away from his man before reversing a pass into Saka who took a touch before firing into the corner. 4-0, not really sure what was going on at this point.

Half time: France 0-4 England

It was a bit of a wonder what the second half would be like. There wasn’t much doubt France would but a bit more proactive and that was exactly what happened.

In the 48th minute, substitute Ollie Watkins was dispossessed before France came away down the right. A well weighted ball found Mbappe’s path in behind the England backline and he slotted into the bottom corner. 4-1 early doors… come back on?

Well, that possibility became even more plausible just six minutes later. A simple out to in run by Barcola saw him get in behind Quansah where he received the e ball before racing forward and firing home. 4-2, they couldn’t, could they?

Another corner brought the next chance for England but an Ivan Toney header was well saved by Maignan to keep the French pressure up.

France nearly brought the deficit to one in the 60th minute. Olise strides forward under no pressure but could only fire his shot agonisingly wide of the post.

Henderson was forced into a couple of saves before the hydration break and France ultimately got themselves yet another goal back through Mbappe who put himself top of the pile in World Cup history.

Olise and the scorer combined beautifully before the inevitable Mbappe fired past Henderson. That was the last act before the hydration break - what a crazy game.

France continued to be all over England following the break in a complete contrast to the first half, but didn’t really create any clear cut attempts at goal until the 80th minute when Olise somehow missed what appeared a sitter.

England were still threatening on occasion with substitute Jude Bellingham seeing a big chance squandered, but France very much looked more likely to equalise.

Just as it looked like the game couldn’t get any crazier, Djed Spence, who had an excellent tournament to be fair to him, darted down the right and was brought down in the box by Malo Gusto - penalty to England.

Bukayo Saka stepped up amid some mind games by Mike Maignan as he looked to secure a World Cup hattrick. The winger coolly slotted home to make the score 5-3 and surely win the game for the Three Lions.

That being said, France clearly didn’t fancy giving it up as, with the game entering the final couple of minutes of injury time, Ousmane Dembele was sent away down the right. Theo Ballon d’Or jinked inside Chalobah before curling a beautiful effort into the far corner.

I hadn’t even finished writing that bit before England scored again. Some excellent work by Watkins sent Bellingham away. His run took him into the box where he evaded a couple of challenges before slotting into not a tight gap.

And yes, thank goodness, that was the last act of the 3rd place game which nobody was supposed to care about… it couldn’t have turned out to be further from that.

6-4 England. What a bloody game.

Full time: France 4-6 England