FIFA World Cup 2026: "You've done us proud," says UK PM Starmer as England clinch bronze medal with 6-4 win over France
London, July 19
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed pride over the England national football team after they secured the bronze medal in the FIFA World Cup 2026 after defeating France 6-4 in a breathtaking, record-breaking 10-goal thriller at the Miami Stadium on Saturday.
In a post on X, Starmer said, "Great result tonight @England. You've done us proud."
In what will go down as the highest-scoring third-place play-off in modern tournament history, Bukayo Saka's magnificent hat-trick overcame Kylian Mbappe's brace and powered the Three Lions to their best World Cup finish on foreign soil since 1966.
England took absolute control of the first half, leaving Les Bleus shell-shocked with an unprecedented 4-0 lead before half-time. Declan Rice opened the scoring just three minutes into the game, before defender Ezri Konsa doubled the advantage in the 18th minute. Bukayo Saka then took centre stage, netting twice in quick succession (37', 45+1') to mark the first time France has ever conceded four goals in a single half of World Cup football.
However, the second half saw a dramatic shift in momentum. Facing his 187th and final match in charge of France, manager Didier Deschamps rang in tactical substitutions at halftime that sparked a furious French resurrection.
Mbappe led the charge, striking in the 48th minute before Bradley Barcola added a second just six minutes later to make it 4-2. When Mbappe struck again in the 66th minute to bring France within one goal, England looked completely rattled under relentless waves of attack.
Notably, with his second goal, Mbappe created history by overtaking Lionel Messi to become the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history. The brace took Mbappe's World Cup tally to 22 goals, moving him one clear of Messi's 21. He also became the leading contender for the Golden Boot race in the tournament with 10 goals.
Just as the game seemed to be slipping away from Thomas Tuchel's men, England found their relief. A late counter-attack resulted in an 87th-minute penalty, which Saka calmly converted to complete his hat-trick and restore breathing room at 5-3.
The drama spilt deep into stoppage time as Ousmane Dembele clawed one back for France in the 90+6th minute, but Jude Bellingham put the final exclamation point on the historic night, scoring in the 90+8th minute to seal the extraordinary 6-4 victory for England to cap their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on a high.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a UK-based fan originally from India, this was emotional. England actually played like a team with grit—something we rarely see in knockout stages. The 4-0 half-time lead was jaw-dropping, but that French fightback shows why football is the world's game. Mbappe is a beast, 22 WC goals at his age? Unreal. Hope India takes inspiration for our own football development—we need grassroots investment.
Bronze medal for England—well deserved! But honestly, France was robbed in the first half. Deschamps' substitutions almost pulled off a miracle. Saka's penalty under pressure was ice-cold, though. And Bellingham's late goal was the cherry on top. I wish Indian football could see this kind of passion and support from our leaders. Maybe one day a PM will tweet about our team winning a medal. 😅
As an England fan living in Bangalore, I still can't believe the rollercoaster. That 4-0 lead was beautiful, but we nearly threw it away again. Classic England! The difference was Saka—what a player. Starmer's message is fine, but I wish he'd say more about football investment. After the Euros heartbreak, this bronze feels like progress. Mbappe's record is astonishing—he's on another planet.
Football royalty! 10 goals in a playoff match is like a Bollywood movie—drama, twists, and a happy ending for England. Mbappe becoming WC top scorer is legendary; he's now the benchmark for the next generation. I just feel for France—they fought so hard. Starmer's tweet is nice, but I'd love to see Indian political leaders celebrate our sports teams like this. We need that culture of recognition. 🇮🇳⚽
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