THE WORLD CUP AND ECONOMICS: A Playful Appetizer Ahead of the Main Course

Research evidence excerpt

THE WORLD CUP AND ECONOMICS: A Playful Appetizer Ahead of the Main Course

Economics Research

19 July 2026 | 8:43AM EDT

THE WORLD CUP AND ECONOMICS

A Playful Appetizer Ahead of the Main Course (19 July)

Following bitter defeats in their respective semifinals, France and England faced off Jan Hatzius

+1(212)902-0394 | jan.hatzius@gs.com

in Miami in the bronze final. With a final score of 6-4 in favour of England, this was Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

the highest-scoring game in the World Cup since 1982. Giovanni Pierdomenico

+44(20)7051-6807 |

giovanni.pierdomenico@gs.com

England completely overwhelmed a sluggish French side in the opening 45 minutes. Goldman Sachs International

Rice and Konsa scored early, then Saka netted a quick brace to put the Three Lions Sven Jari Stehn

up 4-0 at halftime. The French started to fight back in the second half. Two goals +44(20)7774-8061Goldman Sachs International| jari.stehn@gs.com

from Mbappé and one from Barcola reduced the English lead to one by the 66th

minute. England restored a two-goal lead in the 87th minute when Saka completed

his hat-trick from the penalty spot but Dembélé replied in the 90+6th minute to

make it 5–4. In the 90+8th minute, Jude Bellingham sealed the bronze medal, scoring

the 6th English goal of the day after a spectacular solo run.

With yesterday’s two goals, Mbappé reached a total of 10 goals in this tournament

and 22 World Cup career goals, putting him ahead of Messi (for now) in both.

Yesterday’s 3rd place final also marked the final game in charge for French manager

Didier Deschamps. He bids farewell to Les Bleus after lifting the 1998 trophy as

captain and the 2018 trophy as manager of the national team. England’s 3rd-place

finish – the team’s strongest ever World Cup result except for their 1966 win—is only