England have officially secured third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after an extraordinary 6-4 victory over France, producing one of the highest-scoring knockout matches in tournament history. Bukayo Saka’s hat-trick and Jude Bellingham’s late goal ensured Thomas Tuchel’s side left North America with bronze medals despite their heartbreaking semi-final defeat to Argentina.
With Spain and Argentina now preparing for the World Cup Final, several Muslim footballers have been among the tournament’s most influential performers.
Semi-final Results
| Match | Result | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Spain vs France | Spain 2-0 France | Spain reached the Final |
| Argentina vs England | Argentina 2-1 England | Argentina reached the Final |
| France vs England | France 4-6 England | England finished 3rd |
Muslim Players Who Made The Biggest Impact
| Player | Nation | Goals | Assists | Biggest Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bukayo Saka | England | Hat-trick (3rd Place Match) | — | Carried England to bronze |
| Lamine Yamal | Spain | Important knockout contributions | Multiple | Tournament leader in successful dribbles |
| Kylian Mbappé | France | 2 vs England | — | Tournament top scorer entering the final day with 10 goals |
| Ousmane Dembélé | France | 1 vs England | — | Constant attacking threat |
| Achraf Hakimi | Morocco | Defensive leader | Several | Instrumental in Morocco’s run to the quarter-finals |
| Noussair Mazraoui | Morocco | — | — | Defensive stability throughout tournament |
| Sofyan Amrabat | Morocco | — | — | Ball-winning midfielder |
| Azzedine Ounahi | Morocco | — | — | Progressive midfield passing |
Best Dribblers
The tournament’s official statistics show Muslim players dominating one-on-one situations.
| Player | Successful Dribbles |
|---|---|
| Lamine Yamal | 30 |
| Kylian Mbappé | 24 |
| Vinícius Jr. | 23 |
| Lionel Messi | 22 |
| Jeremy Doku | 21 |
Lamine Yamal leads the entire World Cup in completed dribbles, highlighting just how influential the 19-year-old has been in Spain’s run to the final.
