A true ‘thriller’ — that is arguably the most fitting description for the extraordinary narrative that unfolded during the 2026 World Cup third-place match between France and England on Saturday evening in Miami. English media outlets, including Sky Sports, rightfully lauded the Three Lions’ triumph with an astonishing 6-4 scoreline, securing them third place in the tournament and their first podium finish since their 1966 victory. Yet, it was the entirety of the match and its unpredictable twists that left the press utterly stunned.
The Daily Mail, for instance, prominently featured ‘Thriller’ as its headline this Sunday morning, remarking on a ‘tennis score, not football.’ Across the Channel, the focus naturally gravitated towards England’s remarkable performance, especially after their semi-final exit against Argentina, despite holding a lead with less than ten minutes remaining. Notably, coach Thomas Tuchel had faced jeers from British supporters in Miami ahead of the bronze medal match.
Tuchel’s vindication
For Tuchel, this paradoxical victory served as a form of vindication, silencing the whistles that had marred his reputation before kick-off and the torrent of criticism that had pursued him since the semi-final defeat. As journalist Craig Hope observed, “He delivers England their best World Cup result since 1966 – not quite the promised second star, but a first bronze medal.” It was a win achieved on his own terms, an all-or-nothing approach.
In France, two dominant themes emerged: the farewell of Didier Deschamps and the French squad’s utterly unacceptable first-half display. L’Équipe’s Vincent Duluc succinctly summarised it as “Les Bleus ridiculous then light to finish,” describing two periods as “contradictory and utterly baffling, equally unfathomable, in terms of both a dizzying descent and an incredible resurgence.” Indeed, analysts struggled to dissect a French team capable of both the worst and the best within 90 minutes, an epic encounter that nonetheless left a bitter taste.
Le Parisien highlighted the French departure with an “astonishing final match” but burdened by a “bag full of regrets”: “Football is a sport where any team can beat another, and it’s played not just with the feet but with the head. The French saw Miami, the city where Leo Messi maintains his dazzling form, but their thoughts were elsewhere, primarily on sadness, on annihilation even.” It felt as if everything had shattered with their semi-final elimination against Spain, a match where Les Bleus failed to truly fight. It took a desperate effort to reignite the engine, but it was ultimately too late.
Le Figaro proclaimed “Shame then revolt,” while Libération described an “unhinged encounter,” one that could make you tear your hair out. Ouest France, for its part, dedicated its coverage to an “extraordinary France-England World Cup match.”
Mbappé’s bittersweet achievement
“A third and fourth place we won’t soon forget!” Marca added to its headline, featuring the match score like a tennis set. The Madrid daily even labelled this “consolation final” a veritable “masterpiece.” “Who said this match served no purpose? France and England undoubtedly gave us the most entertaining match of the World Cup,” the Spanish newspaper declared. This coverage ran alongside several articles on Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé, who became the competition’s all-time leading scorer thanks to his brace – all while awaiting Lionel Messi’s potential response in the Spain-Argentina final.
“Mbappé’s bitter achievement,” read the headline from AS, Madrid’s other sports daily, which echoed similar sentiments regarding the evening’s drama: “Those who say the World Cup third-place match is useless are mistaken. It serves, for example, to bid farewell to a team built to win everything but which only claimed two titles out of seven contested – Deschamps’ team – but also to cement Mbappé’s place in history for his goals, not his titles, even if he enters the Pantheon of World Cup top scorers tonight.”
In Catalonia, while acknowledging Mbappé’s statistical brilliance in this World Cup, both Sport and Mundo Deportivo focused on “England triumphant in madness” as they secured the bronze medal, marking their first podium finish at a World Cup since their sole triumph in 1966.
In Germany, where the World Cup journey concluded prematurely against Paraguay, the perspective leaned towards an almost nationalistic pride in England’s victory: “Tuchel humiliates Mbappé,” declared Bild, though it did acknowledge the French player’s new record. The German newspaper particularly highlighted the first-half scenario. Die Welt adopted a more detached view, headlining with this “epic match,” a “festival of ten goals.” Kicker also maintained a sober tone, simply referring to it as a “spectacular match.” It was, to say the least.
