England edge France 6-4 in World Cup bronze match goal fest

Miami, United States: England beat France 6-4 in a chaotic World Cup third-place playoff on Saturday as Kylian Mbappe became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.

Both teams had higher aspirations at the 2026 tournament but suffered painful semi-final exits -- France were outplayed by Spain while England suffered a late collapse against Argentina. lebandit.lat

Both coaches made multiple changes for the match in the oppressive heat of Miami, with a host of stars on the bench at the start.

England boss Thomas Tuchel left out Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham from his starting line-up while Deschamps, stepping down after 14 years at the helm, omitted Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele.

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice put England ahead with a goal from distance in the third minute and Ezri Konsa headed home to make it 2-0.

Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise were a threat as France searched for a way back into the game but they found England's second-choice goalkeeper Dean Henderson in top form.

الأخبارإنجاز جديد للمرأة القطرية والعربية.. البطلة القطرية الشيخة أسماء آل ثاني تصل إلى قمة جبل غاشر بروم 2واصلت أسطورة تسلق الجبال، القطرية الشيخة أسماء بنت ثاني آل ثاني مسيرتها الاستثنائية نحو اعتلاء أعلى قمم العالم، بعد نجاحها في تحطيم الأرقام القياسية بتسلق قمة جبل غاشر بروم 2، إ...فتح →

The game threatened to become embarrassing for France when Bukayo Saka made it 3-0 after a swift break.

And it was 4-0 in first-half stoppage time when Saka scored his second goal of the game, celebrated with a fist pump by Tuchel.

France coach Didier Deschamps told French TV channel M6 that the first-half display had been "catastrophic", urging his men to show pride.

He made four changes, bringing on Dembele, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Digne and Barcola and was rewarded almost instantly when Mbappe scored his ninth goal of the tournament to move clear of Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot standings.

The game had now totally changed complexion and Barcola pulled another goal back, with Deschamps clenching his fist on the bench.

Mbappe then netted his second of the game to become the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with 22 goals -- slotting home from Olise's pass.

That put him two ahead of Messi in the race to finish as top scorer at the 2026 tournament.

France squandered a number of chances to equalise and England were handed a chance to extend their lead when Malo Gusto brought down Djed Spence in the penalty area.

Saka stepped up to the spot and converted to complete his hat-trick.

There was still time for Dembele to grab a fourth for France but Bellingham then strode forward to score the 10th goal of the match with an individual effort.

In doing so Bellingham became the first England player to score seven goals at a World Cup.

By finishing third, England secured their best result at a World Cup since winning the tournament in 1966, though they will carry bitter memories of their defeat by defending champions Argentina.

Deschamps led France to World Cup glory in 2018 and finished as runners-up four years ago.

Les Bleus were favourites to win the 2026 tournament after a sensational start but were well-beaten 2-0 by Spain in the semi-finals.

Three-time champions Argentina face European champions Spain in the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday.

Doha, Qatar: The FIFA World Cup is remembered for stunning goals, iconic celebrations and unforgettable players. But behind many defining moments is another battle, one fought from the touchline.

At World Cup 2026, several of the tournament’s biggest results were shaped not only by individual brilliance, but by managerial decisions. Some coaches trusted their instincts and changed matches with bold tactical moves, while others saw promising positions slip away after one crucial adjustment failed.

For several teams, the decision to protect a lead proved more costly than the desire to chase another goal.

England appeared on course for the final after Anthony Gordon put them ahead against Argentina in the semi-finals. But instead of maintaining their attacking approach, Thomas Tuchel switched to a defensive setup, with England managing only 12 percent possession after taking the lead and failing to register a touch inside Argentina’s box. Lionel Messi eventually took control, creating late goals for Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez as Argentina completed another comeback.

Egypt suffered a similar fate against the same opponents. After taking a stunning 2-0 lead, the Pharaohs abandoned the counter-attacking approach that had troubled Argentina and retreated into their own half. Argentina responded with 17 shots before scoring three times in the final 14 minutes to end Egypt’s historic run.

The Netherlands also paid the price for becoming too cautious. Ronald Koeman switched to a five-man defensive line against Morocco, but after Cody Gakpo’s opener, the Dutch dropped deeper and lost the attacking identity that had produced 10 goals in the group stage. Morocco seized control, scored a stoppage-time equaliser and completed the comeback in the penalty shootout.

Senegal experienced a similar collapse against Belgium in the Round of 32. After building a 2-0 lead, the Lions of Teranga abandoned their aggressive approach and invited pressure. Belgium dominated the closing stages, scoring twice late in normal time before adding a penalty in extra time to complete the turnaround.

Switzerland’s quarter-final against Argentina showed the importance of adapting to changing circumstances. After levelling at 1-1, the Swiss continued with a high defensive line despite Breel Embolo’s red card four minutes later. Argentina exploited the space behind the tiring defence in extra time, scoring twice to win 3-1.

However, while some managers watched their plans unravel, others changed matches with decisive interventions.

England themselves benefited from Tuchel’s tactical adjustments earlier in the tournament against DR Congo. Trailing after conceding early, England struggled against a five-man defence until Tuchel introduced Gordon and Bukayo Saka, shifting the focus towards the flanks. The change transformed the game, with Gordon creating both goals for Harry Kane in a 2-1 comeback win. Norway’s shock victory over Brazil was shaped by Stale Solbakken’s changes at half-time. Introducing Oscar Bobb and Andreas Schjelderup added width and pace to Norway’s attack. As Brazil pushed forward, Schjelderup provided two assists for Erling Haaland’s late goals, sending Norway into the quarter-finals.

Argentina’s Round of 16 comeback against Egypt also reflected Lionel Scaloni’s attacking gamble. Instead of becoming desperate after falling 2-0 behind, the Argentina coach pushed more players forward and maintained pressure. The reward was a stunning three-goal turnaround.

Spain’s semi-final victory over France highlighted Luis de la Fuente’s tactical precision. Identifying France’s left side as a weakness, Spain repeatedly targeted that area through Lamine Yamal and Pedro Porro. The pressure disrupted France’s balance and helped Spain secure a 2-0 win.

Perhaps the boldest decision came from Portugal coach Roberto Martínez. With the knockout tie against Croatia heading towards penalties, Martínez made the difficult call to substitute Cristiano Ronaldo. Trusting Goncalo Ramos instead, he was rewarded when the striker scored the winner, turning a risky decision into one of the tournament’s defining moments.

A substitution, a formation change or the decision to attack rather than defend can alter the course of a nation’s football history. At the World Cup, glory and heartbreak are often decided not only by those on the pitch, but by those making the calls on the sidelines.

خسر المنتخب القطري للشباب لكرة اليد أمام نظيره الإيراني في المباراة التي جمعتهما اليوم، ضمن منافسات دور المجموعات من البطولة الآسيوية للشباب تحت 20 عاما، المقامة حاليا في مدينة شوزو الصينية، وتستمر حتى 27 يوليو الجاري، والمؤهلة إلى بطولة العالم للشباب 2027 في مقدونيا.

وجاءت المباراة متكافئة ومثيرة حتى لحظاتها الأخيرة، قبل أن يحسمها المنتخب الإيراني بنتيجة (26-25)، بفارق هدف واحد.

وكان المنتخب القطري أنهى الشوط الأول متقدما بنتيجة (12 - 11)، إلا أن المنتخب الإيراني تفوق في الشوط الثاني بنتيجة (15 - 13) ليقلب النتيجة لصالحه (26-25).

ويخوض منتخب قطر مباراته المقبلة أمام نظيره الكويتي بعد غدالثلاثاء، قبل أن يختتم مشواره في دور المجموعات بمواجهة المنتخب الهندي يوم 22 يوليو الجاري.