England claim World Cup bronze as France face hard questions
England beat France in a 10-goal third-place match at the 2026 World Cup, with Bukayo Saka named player of the match, according to Telemundo Deportes.
By Sal Moretti · Money Reporter
2 min read
England left the 2026 FIFA World Cup with bronze after beating France in a third-place match that Telemundo Deportes described as a 10-goal show.
The result put England back on a World Cup podium for the first time in six decades, according to Telemundo Deportes coverage published July 18, 2026. The broadcaster said England celebrated the third-place finish after recovering from the blow of losing in the semifinals.
Dean Henderson, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze gave their reactions after the win, Telemundo reported. On the French side, Didier Deschamps assessed the defeat after what the outlet identified as his final match with France.
England get their medal moment
Telemundo’s coverage framed the match as a wild finish to both teams’ tournament runs, calling the England-France meeting a goal-heavy battle for third place. The broadcaster also described England’s win as a commanding one, with Jude Bellingham credited in a related segment with sealing the victory.
Saka was named player of the match, according to Telemundo Deportes. In the broadcaster’s postgame coverage, Saka said England’s bronze came because of how the team played in the first half.
England manager Thomas Tuchel also praised the response from his players after the semifinal disappointment, according to Telemundo Deportes. In a separate Telemundo segment, Tuchel said the mentality England showed and the way the team overcame adversity was “absolutely brilliant.”
The bronze medal gave England a closing celebration at a tournament that had ended in semifinal pain before the third-place game. Telemundo showed England receiving the medal and highlighted the team’s rebound after missing out on the final.
France take stock after defeat
France’s day ended with reflection rather than celebration. Telemundo reported that Deschamps analyzed the loss after the match, and another segment from the broadcaster described him speaking after his final game with the national team.
Deschamps called his France tenure “a very beautiful adventure,” according to Telemundo’s Spanish-language segment title. The broadcaster did not provide further detail in the published text about his full remarks.
Kylian Mbappé’s tournament also carried a major individual milestone. Telemundo Deportes reported in its World Cup coverage that Mbappé became the top scorer in World Cup history, while another segment said he left the Golden Boot race in Lionel Messi’s hands.
Telemundo also showed an emotional moment after the third-place match, saying English and French players embraced following the final whistle. For England, the day ended with a medal. For France, it ended with an audit of what went wrong and the close of a Deschamps chapter.
This story draws on original reporting from TELEMUNDO.com.