ENGLAND 6-4 FRANCE: SAKA HAT-TRICK SEALS WORLD CUP THIRD PLACE IN 10-GOAL THRILLER
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By ‘Sefiu Ajape
England claimed the bronze medal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating France 6-4 in a thrilling third-place play-off on Saturday, with Bukayo Saka scoring a hat-trick in one of the highest-scoring matches in tournament history.
The Three Lions bounced back from their semi-final defeat to Argentina to secure their best finish at a men’s FIFA World Cup since lifting the trophy in 1966. It also marked England’s highest-ever World Cup finish outside home soil.
Thomas Tuchel’s side stormed into a 4-0 first-half lead through Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and a first-half brace from Saka.
Rice opened the scoring in the third minute with a stunning long-range strike before providing the corner that Konsa headed home in the 18th minute to double England’s advantage.
Saka then struck twice before the interval to leave France with a mountain to climb.
Les Bleus mounted a spirited response after the break in what was Didier Deschamps’ final match as France head coach after 14 years in charge.
Captain Kylian Mbappe sparked the comeback with a goal before Bradley Barcola made it 4-2 before the hour mark.
Mbappe struck again in the 67th minute to complete his brace, taking his tally at the 2026 tournament to 10 goals. The goals also saw him surpass Lionel Messi to become the FIFA World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 22 goals in 22 appearances.
France’s hopes of completing an unlikely comeback suffered a major blow in the 87th minute when Saka converted a penalty after Djed Spence was fouled by Malo Gusto, completing his hat-trick and restoring England’s two-goal cushion.
Ousmane Dembele reduced the deficit deep into stoppage time to make it 5-4, but England responded almost immediately as Jude Bellingham capped a brilliant solo run with a composed finish in the 98th minute to wrap up a memorable 6-4 victory.
Bellingham finished the tournament with seven goals, the highest tally ever recorded by an England men’s player at a single FIFA World Cup.
The 10-goal encounter also set a new record as the highest-scoring third-place play-off in FIFA World Cup history, surpassing France’s 6-3 victory over West Germany in 1958.
The victory ended England’s winless record in previous World Cup third-place play-offs after defeats to Italy in 1990 and Belgium in 2018, while France missed the chance to add another bronze medal to their World Cup achievements.
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