Kylian Mbappe claimed the World Cup Golden Boot for a second time after scoring ten goals in eight appearances at the 2026 tournament. The France captain became the first player since Gerd Muller in 1970 to reach double figures in a single World Cup, although his individual success came amid France's disappointing finish.
Declan Rice etched his name into the history books as England secured a third-place finish at the 2026 World Cup with a chaotic 6-4 victory over France. The Arsenal midfielder stepped up to lead the Three Lions in Miami, delivering a masterclass that saw him surpass legendary figures like David Beckham and Harry Kane in the record books.
France's 2026 World Cup journey ended in high-scoring heartbreak and internal friction as Didier Deschamps witnessed a total collapse in their third-place play-off against England. Amidst a frantic 6-4 defeat in Miami, the spotlight shifted from the pitch to the touchline as Manchester City playmaker Rayan Cherki once again clashed with his veteran manager.
Thomas Tuchel has hit back at his critics after England secured a third-place finish at the World Cup, suggesting the fallout from their semi-final exit was disproportionately negative. The German tactician oversaw a wild 6-4 victory over France to claim the bronze medal but spent much of his post-match address defending the "next steps" of his project.
Kylian Mbappe has reached the summit of World Cup history, but the France captain is fully prepared to see his stay at the top lasting less than 24 hours. Despite surpassing Lionel Messi to become the competition's all-time leading scorer with 22 goals, the Real Madrid forward remains certain that his former PSG team-mate will have something to say in Sunday's final against Spain.
Michael Olise made history on the grandest stage of all, but the Bayern Munich winger was left devastated following France’s chaotic 6-4 defeat to England in the World Cup bronze final. Despite eclipsing a long-standing record held by the legendary Pele, the 24-year-old was unable to find personal joy after a series of uncharacteristic misses in Miami.
Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo has officially concluded his 2026 World Cup journey without playing a single minute for England. Following his absence from the third-place play-off against France, manager Thomas Tuchel has provided a fresh update on the 21-year-old amid shocking claims the midfielder was urged to fake an injury to avoid the "nonsense" fixture.
Jude Bellingham has officially etched his name into the history books by becoming the first Englishman to ever score seven goals at a single World Cup tournament. The Real Madrid sensation reached the unprecedented milestone during a chaotic bronze-medal match against France, surpassing the previous benchmarks set by national icons.
The bronze-medal match tends to be one of the highest-scoring games of the tournament, and this one certainly didn't disappoint. England manager Thomas Tuchel called it a fixture “nobody wants to play in” earlier in the week, but that didn't appear to be the case as the Three Lions and France battled in the highest-scoring third-place match in World Cup history, with England edging a wild 6-4 win
Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo missed England’s World Cup third-place play-off against France after picking up an injury. The 21-year-old will depart the Three Lions camp without having seen a single minute of competitive action during the tournament in North America.
kylian Mbappe has paid an emotional tribute to Didier Deschamps ahead of his final match in charge of France, admitting the squad "failed" to give their long-serving manager the send-off he deserved after their World Cup elimination, as Les Bleus prepare for one last game together against England.
France head coach Didier Deschamps has delivered a blunt assessment ahead of his final game in charge, admitting that neither Les Bleus nor England have any real desire to compete in the World Cup third-place play-off. The showpiece event in Miami serves as a bittersweet farewell for the legendary manager following a painful semi-final exit at the hands of Spain.
Croatia legend Davor Suker has launched a scathing attack on England manager Thomas Tuchel following the German's dismissive comments regarding the World Cup third-place play-off. The former Real Madrid striker accused the Three Lions boss of elitism after Tuchel suggested that neither England nor France had any interest in competing for a bronze medal.
Kylian Mbappe is considered to be out of the running for Ballon d’Or recognition in 2026, with Jeremie Aliadiere conceding to GOAL that World Cup heartache with France is likely to have dashed those dreams. Les Bleus’ all-time leading goalscorer has never got his hands on the Golden Ball, and will need to wait another 12 months before staking another claim to the most prestigious of individual honours.
Kylian Mbappe remains the right man to captain France heading forward, Jeremie Aliadiere has told GOAL, despite admissions that skippers do not “have to be the best player”. That is the case at present with Les Bleus, as their record goalscorer fills the armband, and any questions of character will continue to be ignored as the fearsome frontman leads by example.
Comprehensive match preview of France vs England at World Cup 2026. We talk tactics, team news and more ahead of this third place playoff clash in Miami.
Thomas Tuchel has confirmed his total commitment to the England job despite the crushing disappointment of a World Cup semi-final exit. The German tactician insists he is the right man to lead the Three Lions into Euro 2028 on home soil, and has identified a "big problem" that must be resolved to finally end the nation's trophy drought.
France defender Lucas Digne has opened up on the "immense disappointment" of Les Bleus' World Cup semi-final exit at the hands of Spain. The experienced left-back was at the centre of the game's turning point, conceding the penalty for a foul on Lamine Yamal that allowed La Roja to break the deadlock.
Thomas Tuchel has hit out at the World Cup third-place play-off, claiming that neither his England players nor their French counterparts have any desire to take part in the fixture. The Three Lions saw their dreams of a first final since 1966 crushed by Argentina in a dramatic semi-final, leaving them with one final, unwanted obligation in Miami.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has thrown his weight behind Zinedine Zidane to take the reins of the French national team following their exit from the World Cup. The legendary Swede believes the Bleus require a specific type of leadership to move forward after their 2-0 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals.
Christophe Dugarry has fiercely criticised Didier Deschamps and the France national team following their semi-final defeat to Spain. The former Barcelona forward expressed extreme frustration over the terrible performance, feeling utterly deceived by the team's lack of attacking threat and fighting spirit during the deeply disappointing 2026 World Cup exit.
France
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
