England players demonstrated remarkable squad harmony after their 6-4 win over France in the World Cup third-place match on Saturday, insisting that reserve goalkeeper Jason Steele receive a bronze medal despite not being part of the official 26-man squad.
Match Recap: England's Thrilling Victory
Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute, followed by Ezri Konsa doubling the lead in the 18th minute. Bukayo Saka struck twice before half-time, putting England 4-0 up. However, a second-half fightback from France saw Kylian Mbappe score twice and Bradley Barcola add another, reducing the deficit to 4-3. Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, but Ousmane Dembele struck in injury time to make it 5-4. Jude Bellingham, who started as a substitute, sealed the 6-4 victory with a brilliant individual effort.
Medal Ceremony Gesture
During the medal ceremony, after all squad members had collected their medals, captain Harry Kane and Jordan Henderson called over Jason Steele, the 35-year-old Brighton goalkeeper who traveled with the team as a reserve but was not officially named in the squad. Steele was given a medal and joined the team photograph, a gesture that highlighted the unity within Thomas Tuchel's squad.
Tuchel's Praise for Steele
Tuchel had previously acknowledged Steele's contribution when unveiling the squad in May, saying: 'We chose three goalkeepers plus Jason Steele. I want to take the opportunity to thank Jason for being brilliant and thank Brighton for being so co-operative and supportive.' Steele's role in training and team morale was evidently valued by players and staff alike.
