Jude Bellingham penned an emotional note as the 2026 FIFA World Cup journey ended with a historic feat.
England on Saturday, July 18, beat France, 6-4, in one of the most thrilling and entertaining third-place playoff clashes in Miami, Florida.
After all the criticism on Thomas Tuchel’s tactics in painful semifinal heartbreak against Argentina, the Three Lions on Saturday once again showed a masterclass and defeated one of the top favorites of the tournament in the bronze match.
England easily dominated the first half of the game, commanding a 4-0 lead over France with early goals from Declan Rice (3’), Ezri Konsa (18'), and then a double strike from Bukayo Saka (37', 45'+1'), who completed his hat trick with the 87th-minute penalty.
23-year-old Bellingham, who was brought on in the 79th minute, fired the sixth goal for England and the final goal of the game in the last minute.
Meanwhile, from the French side, Kylian Mbappe (48’ and 66’), Bradley Barcola (54'), and Ousmane Dembélé (90' + 6’) scored the goals.
Jude Bellingham's record-breaking performance
Bellingham, who rose to new highs in the 2026 World Cup, bagged a couple of milestones during the last game of the 2026 FIFA tournament.
After his final-minute goal, the Real Madrid star became the first-ever English footballer to score seven goals at a single World Cup.
Besides that, he also became the first-ever midfielder to score seven goals in FIFA World Cup history.
Former England midfielder Danny Murphy, praising Bellingham during the match, told BBC One, “He has such confidence in his own ability. The patience, the skill, the shot. What a goal from England's best player."
Jude Bellingham says goodbye to the 2026 World Cup on a ‘high note'
After winning bronze and finishing third in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the La Liga club’s star, who is regarded as one of the best players in the world, shared a heartfelt post to wrap up his campaign at the mega tournament.
Taking to Instagram, Bellingham shared some of the celebratory moments from the England vs. France game and hailed England’s best journey in the FIFA World Cup in 60 years.
He wrote, “This group deserved to finish on this high note. Obviously not what we came for, but the highest finish since ‘66 is something to build on. Thank you again, England fans, this summer has been unforgettable for so many reasons. It’s been a pleasure!”
As of before the final showdown between Argentina and Spain, Bellingham shared third place in the 2026 World Cup top scorers race with his former Borussia Dortmund teammate Erling Haaland.
