England finished third at the 2026 World Cup, their best result since the 1966 title. They reached the semi-final for the fourth time in their history, beat Mexico and Norway in the knockout rounds, lost 2-1 to Argentina, and then beat France 6-4 in the third-place match.
The story of the run belongs largely to Jude Bellingham, who scored seven goals, the most by an England player at a single World Cup, and won the Bronze Boot.
Key Facts
- Round of 16: England 3-2 Mexico at the Azteca.
- Quarter-final: England 2-1 Norway after extra time, with both goals from Bellingham.
- Semi-final: Argentina 2-1 England in Atlanta.
- Third place: England 6-4 France, with a Bukayo Saka hat-trick.
- Harry Kane finished as England’s all-time leading World Cup scorer with 14 goals.
The Group Stage
Bellingham scored in England’s opening 4-2 win over Croatia on June 17 and again, with an assist, in a 2-0 win over Panama on June 27.
The Round of 16: Mexico at the Azteca
England beat Mexico 3-2 at Estadio Azteca. Bellingham scored in the 36th and 38th minutes, and Julian Quinones pulled one back for Mexico in the 42nd. Harry Kane scored a penalty in the 60th minute, and Raul Jimenez scored a penalty for Mexico in the 69th. Jarell Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute, so England played the rest of the match with ten men, with Ezri Konsa moving to right-back.
The Quarter-Final: Norway in Miami
England beat Norway 2-1 after extra time on July 11 at Miami Stadium. Andreas Schjelderup put Norway ahead late in the first half, and Bellingham equalised just before half-time. Kane had an effort in the 45th minute ruled out for offside. Norway had a goal by Torbjorn Heggem ruled out after a foul by Erling Haaland on an earlier phase of play. Bellingham scored the winner in extra time.
It was England’s fourth World Cup semi-final in history. Bellingham became the fifth player to score multiple goals in consecutive World Cup knockout matches.
The Semi-Final: Argentina
Argentina beat England 2-1 in Atlanta on July 15. Anthony Gordon put England ahead in the 55th minute. Enzo Fernandez equalised in the 86th minute, and Lautaro Martinez headed in the winner in the second minute of stoppage time, from a Lionel Messi assist.
The fixture has a long history, which we cover in England vs Argentina: Football’s Great Transatlantic Rivalry.
The Third-Place Match: England 6-4 France
England beat France 6-4 on July 18, the highest-scoring third-place match in World Cup history, with ten goals, and the highest-scoring World Cup match since Hungary beat El Salvador 10-1 in 1982. England led 4-0 at half-time. Saka scored a hat-trick, with goals in the 37th minute, in first-half stoppage time and from a penalty in the 87th. Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa also scored, and Bellingham scored deep in stoppage time for his seventh goal of the tournament. Kylian Mbappe scored twice for France in the second half, taking him to 22 World Cup goals.
Thomas Tuchel said the players should be proud in time, but that a team so competitive struggles to take pride in third place after setting its sights on the final.
What It Means
England’s best World Cup finish since 1966 came with the sense of a missed chance, after leading the semi-final with a few minutes left. For how the tournament shaped the next one, read who could challenge Spain in 2030 and Paraguay’s shock win over Germany.
Sources: Wikipedia: Jude Bellingham, Wikipedia: Ezri Konsa, Wikipedia: Harry Kane, The National on the Norway match, Euronews on the third-place match, Wikipedia: 2026 FIFA World Cup final.