England Beats France 6-4 in Record-Breaking World Cup Third-Place Match

Bukayo Saka’s hat-trick powered a 10-goal thriller that stands as the highest-scoring match in tournament history and England’s best finish since 1966.

England defeated France 6-4 in the 2026 World Cup third-place playoff on July 18, establishing a new benchmark for offensive output in a single tournament match. The 10 goals scored shattered previous modern records and marked the highest total in World Cup history since 1982, turning a consolation fixture into a statistical landmark that redefined the ceiling for elite international play [1].

Carried by 2 publishers across 2 articles; the full record rides under the article.

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