France and England Deliver Ten-Goal World Cup Thriller as Global Sports Weekend Unfolds

France staged a dramatic second-half fightback but ultimately fell short, losing 6-4 to England in a sensational 2026 World Cup third-place playoff in Miami on Saturday. The match will be remembered as one of the most entertaining encounters of the tournament.

World Cup Third-Place Playoff: A Ten-Goal Classic

France found themselves in deep trouble at halftime, trailing 4-0 after a dominant English first-half display. Les Bleus refused to capitulate, however, and mounted a remarkable resurgence after the break. Kylian Mbappé, who has been one of the standout performers of the tournament, netted his ninth and tenth goals of the competition to fuel the comeback.

Despite the French revival, England managed to hold firm and secured victory in a contest that produced ten goals and countless talking points. The result means France finish the 2026 World Cup in fourth place, while England claim the bronze medal.

World Cup Final: Spain Meet Argentina in Historic Showdown

Attention now shifts to Sunday's final, where Spain and Argentina face off in what promises to be a captivating encounter. The match carries extra significance as it is the first World Cup final in history to feature the reigning European champions against the holders of the Copa América.

Spain, led by the prodigious Lamine Yamal, enter the match as continental champions, while Lionel Messi's Argentina arrive as the defending South American titleholders. The showdown pits two of football's most decorated nations against each other in a fixture that has never before occurred on this stage.

Transfer Talk and Tour de France Triumphs

Away from the World Cup, the football transfer market may be on the verge of witnessing a record-breaking deal. Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers is reportedly close to completing a move to Chelsea for approximately €137 million, a fee that would establish him as the most expensive English player of all time.

On the roads of France, Tadej Pogacar continues to dominate the 2026 Tour de France. The yellow jersey holder claimed his fourth stage win of this year's edition on Saturday, powering to a commanding solo victory at Marstein Fellering. He crossed the line ahead of teammate Isaac Del Toro and French rising star Paul Seixas.

At just 19 years old, Seixas climbed to fourth place in the general classification, claimed the white jersey as best young rider, and became the youngest competitor ever to wear a classification jersey at the Tour de France.

Tennis, Athletics, Golf, F1 and Rally Racing Roundup

In tennis, Stefanos Tsitsipas continues his journey back toward the top of the game. Now ranked 85th in the world, the Greek star will contest his first ATP final since March 2025 on Sunday. He faces Belgium's Raphaël Collignon in Gstaad as he pursues the 13th title of his professional career. Meanwhile, in Bastad, top-seeded Andrey Rublev is set to take on defending champion Luciano Darderi in the ATP 250 final.

Athletics witnessed a historic moment on Saturday, as Josh Kerr shattered the long-standing world mile record in London. The performance marked a significant milestone in the sport's history.

At The Open Championship, Sam Burns will head into the final round holding the lead, with Ryan Fox and Kim Si-woo among those in pursuit. In Formula 1, teenage prodigy Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, continuing his rapid ascent in the sport. And in the World Rally Championship, Sami Pajari remains in control of Rally Estonia as he closes in on what would be the first WRC victory of his career.

From a ten-goal World Cup thriller to record-breaking athletic feats and historic finals across multiple disciplines, this weekend has delivered no shortage of sporting drama. Share this article with fellow sports fans and let us know which moment stood out to you the most.

Source: France 24 – English