Madrid Universal
·19. Juli 2026
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham finds solace after consolation win over France: ‘England’s best position since 1966’

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Yahoo sportsMadrid Universal
·19. Juli 2026

The third-place match between England and France was heavily mocked as a game that would see both teams play without passion. What turned out when the two sides locked horns, however, was complete drama.
Ten goals were scored in ninety minutes last night as England took away a 6-4 win over France to win third place at the prestigious event.
Jude Bellingham was on the scoresheet for England, while Kylian Mbappe scored two goals and became the all-time highest goalscorer in the event and the favourite for the Golden Boot. In the end, however, it was Bellingham who had the last laugh.
Taking to his Instagram after winning against France last night, Bellingham elaborated how it was a positive end to the tournament, albeit not in the manner they would have hoped for.
“This team deserves to end the journey with this honourable result.”
“It’s clear this isn’t what we came for, but achieving England’s best position since 1966 is something to build on,” he added.
Finally, he thanked the fans for turning up in large numbers and rallying behind the team throughout the tournament.
“Thank you again, England fans—this summer has been unforgettable for so many reasons. It’s been an honour for me!”
Bellingham’s England played almost the entire tournament, and last night’s clash against Mbappe’s Brazil marked the end of their campaign in the FIFA World Cup.

Bellingham scored a stunning goal against France. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
After what has been a stellar individual campaign, the Englishman will now finally head on vacation, where he will have at least three weeks away from competitive football.
The player will likely return in the second week of August, days before Real Madrid kick off their La Liga campaign for the new season.
The next campaign will again be a long one, and Bellingham will look to ensure a complete physical and mental reset before he returns to Madrid.
In his World Cup campaign, Bellingham racked up seven goals and an assist for England in buddy eight appearances and seven starts. He averaged 2.4 shots per game and completed 82% if his passes in the tournament.
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