"Summer has been unforgettable for many reason": Jude Bellingham after England secures third position in FIFA World Cup 2026
Florida, July 19
England midfielder Jude Bellingham hailed his team's third-place finish at the FIFA World Cup 2026 following their thrilling 6-4 victory over France, calling it a platform to build on despite falling short of their ultimate goal.
In an Instagram post after England's win in the third-place playoff, Bellingham reflected on the team's campaign and thanked supporters for their backing throughout the tournament.
"This group deserved to finish on this high note. Obviously not what we came for but the highest finish since '66 is something to build on. Thank you again England fans, this summer has been unforgettable for so many reasons. It's been a pleasure!" Bellingham wrote.
Despite being a midfielder, Bellingham became the leading goalscorer for an English footballer in a single World Cup.
Meanwhile, English right winger Bukayo Saka starred in England's emphatic victory over France, scoring a hat-trick. Saka later shared a post on Instagram posing with his Player of the Match trophy.
England 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 (local time). Notably, the defeat also spoiled Didier Deschamps' farewell, bringing the legendary coach's 14-year tenure as France manager to a disappointing end.
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 the interval. 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.
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
Honestly, as a neutral Indian viewer, England's first half was pure domination, but that French comeback in the second half was nerve-wracking! Mbappe becoming the highest World Cup scorer ever is legendary stuff. End of an era for Deschamps too. At least Bellingham and Saka gave England fans something to cheer about. 🏆
England finishing third is a great achievement, but let's be real - they gave away a 4-0 lead and almost bottled it. That second-half performance was concerning for a team that wants to win the World Cup. Bellingham's goal restored some pride, but they need to learn to close out games better if they want to go all the way next time.
Watching from India, this was the best third-place match ever! Saka's hat-trick was pure class, and Bellingham's growth as a player is amazing to see. Mbappe breaking Messi's record is huge too. Football is really becoming global - even my chai wala uncle was discussing this match yesterday! 😄
This tournament proved that modern football is all about entertainment. 10 goals in a World Cup playoff match is unheard of! England should be proud of this bronze medal. Bellingham is absolutely right - they have a platform to build on. With young talents like Saka and Bellingham, England's future looks bright. 🇮🇳⚽
Bellingham's Instagram post shows real maturity - acknowledging the disappointment while also celebrating the achievement. That's the right attitude. But I can't help feeling for Des
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