Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick as England defeated France 6-4 in an extraordinary World Cup third-place playoff in Miami. The match, which featured 10 goals, saw England race to a 4-0 lead before France mounted a comeback led by Kylian Mbappé, who scored twice. However, Saka's late penalty and a strike from substitute Jude Bellingham secured third place for England for the first time.
England's dominant first half
England took control early, with Declan Rice opening the scoring in the third minute after capitalizing on a loose pass from Désiré Doué. Ezri Konsa doubled the lead with a header from Rice's corner, beating Adrien Rabiot to the ball. Bukayo Saka then added two goals before half-time, the first after a series of attempts by Marcus Rashford and Saka himself, and the second from a brilliant pass by Eberechi Eze. France's players looked stunned as they went into the break trailing 4-0.
France's second-half fightback
France manager Didier Deschamps made four changes at halftime, bringing on Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola. The response was immediate: Mbappé scored within three minutes of the restart after Ollie Watkins lost possession. Barcola made it 4-2 shortly after, and Mbappé added his second after exchanging passes with Michael Olise on the edge of England's area. France pushed for an equalizer, but Olise missed a chance to force extra time. Mbappé's double made him the first male player to reach double figures at a World Cup since Gerd Müller in 1970.
England seals victory
With France threatening, Thomas Tuchel turned to his bench, bringing on Jude Bellingham and Elliot Anderson. Bellingham scored England's fifth goal, his seventh of the tournament, after coming off the bench. Saka completed his hat-trick with a late penalty, before Dembélé pulled one back for France in the final moments. The 6-4 scoreline marked the highest-scoring game of the tournament.
Context and aftermath
The match was played under leaden skies in Miami, reflecting the mood of both teams after semi-final defeats. For France, it was Didier Deschamps' last match in charge after 14 years. Kylian Mbappé, motivated to win the Golden Boot and send Deschamps off with a victory, posted a message on social media calling it "your last dance." England manager Thomas Tuchel, who signed a contract extension before the tournament, faced boos from some supporters at the start but ended with a memorable win. The reception for England's players as they received their bronze medals suggested their efforts were appreciated.
