England ends 60-year World Cup podium wait with bronze
Telemundo reported England beat France for third place at the 2026 World Cup, its first podium finish since winning the title in 1966.
By Sal Moretti · Money Reporter
3 min read
England are back on a World Cup podium for the first time since 1966, after beating France to claim third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to Telemundo’s Conexión Mundial coverage.
The network reported on July 18, 2026, that England celebrated the bronze medal after defeating France in a high-scoring third-place match. Telemundo described the game as a “festival” of goals and said the result capped a strong tournament for the English team.
The bronze finish marks England’s first top-three World Cup placement since the country’s historic title run in 1966, Telemundo reported. For a side long measured against that home-soil triumph, this was a return to medal territory after six decades away.
A wild third-place match
Telemundo’s related coverage described the England-France match as one of the showpiece games of the tournament’s closing stretch, calling it a ten-goal spectacle in one segment and a rain of goals in another.
The network did not list the final score in the written summary, but its coverage said England overcame France to win third place. Another Telemundo segment said Jude Bellingham sealed what it characterized as an emphatic England victory.
Bukayo Saka was identified by Telemundo as the player of the match. In the network’s coverage, Saka said England won the bronze because of how the team played in the first half.
England’s response after semifinal pain
Telemundo also highlighted manager Thomas Tuchel’s reaction after England responded to its semifinal setback. In a clip promoted by the network, Tuchel praised the team’s mentality and its ability to get through adversity, calling it “absolutely brilliant.”
England’s celebrations included the bronze medal presentation, with Telemundo framing the moment as a recovery act after disappointment earlier in the knockout rounds.
The network also showed an emotional moment after the third-place match, saying English and French players embraced following the final whistle.
France closes a chapter
For France, the defeat came with reflection. Telemundo said French players and staff took stock after losing to England, while Kylian Mbappé was shown leaving saddened by the result.
Didier Deschamps also appeared in Telemundo’s coverage after what the network described as his last match with France. Deschamps called his spell “a very beautiful adventure,” according to the segment promoted by Telemundo.
The wider World Cup coverage also noted a major individual milestone for France: Telemundo reported that Mbappé became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.
England’s headline, though, was the medal. After six decades of waiting since the 1966 title, Telemundo reported the Three Lions finally stepped back onto the World Cup podium.
This story draws on original reporting from TELEMUNDO.com.