England Stuns France in Greatest Third-Place Battle Ever Witnessed

Liberty Check

• England delivered their best World Cup performance since 1966, proving American allies still have fighting spirit
• Record-breaking 11-goal thriller showcased what happens when teams play for pride and country, not participation trophies
• While woke Europe crumbles, England’s young stars demonstrated old-fashioned grit and determination

Nobody wants to play for third place, but England and France just delivered the most explosive consolation match in World Cup history at Miami Stadium on Saturday. Both European powerhouses entered after devastating semifinal defeats—France falling to Spain, England losing to reigning champions Argentina.

France came in as tournament favorites looking for redemption. Star striker Kylian Mbappe had a shot at overtaking Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race, giving Les Bleus extra motivation despite the bitter taste of their semifinal exit.

England countered with their best World Cup run in nearly six decades, boasting a 2-1 all-time record against France in World Cup play. In a stunning tactical move, manager Gareth Southgate benched offensive stars Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham to start the match.

Turns out England didn’t need their big guns early. Declan Rice opened scoring in just the 3rd minute, catching France completely off guard.

Ten minutes later, England thought they’d doubled their lead, but the goal was ruled offside. No matter—Ezri Konsa delivered a legitimate second goal off a corner kick in the 18th minute.

But England wasn’t done embarrassing the French favorites. Bukayo Saka added two more goals before halftime, including one that certainly wasn’t textbook but counted all the same.

England took a stunning 4-0 lead into the break. Few expected France to be on the receiving end of such a beating, especially with Kane and Bellingham still watching from the bench.

France stormed out in the second half with their pride on the line. Mbappe struck in the 48th minute, putting himself ahead of Messi in the Golden Boot race and tying him with 21 career World Cup goals.

Minutes later, Bradley Barcola cut England’s lead to 4-2. The momentum had completely shifted.

Mbappe scored again in the 66th minute to make it 4-3, extending his Golden Boot lead and claiming the all-time World Cup goals record. What a comeback.

Who said third place doesn’t matter?

After France pressed for the equalizer, England was awarded a penalty kick. Saka stepped up and buried it for his hat trick, giving England crucial breathing room late in the match.

Hard to believe he didn’t see a single minute in the semifinal loss to Argentina.

France refused to quit, but England had the final answer. Jude Bellingham, finally off the bench, delivered a spectacular goal—his seventh of the tournament—to seal the victory.

The final score stood at 6-5 in the highest-scoring World Cup third-place match in history, surpassing the 1958 battle between France and West Germany.

England fell short of bringing home the trophy, but this was their best World Cup finish since winning it all in 1966. For a team that’s endured decades of heartbreak, third place represents genuine progress.

Now only one match remains. Spain and Argentina will battle for the World Cup title Sunday afternoon at New York-New Jersey Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 3 pm ET.

Americans deserve better.