Key Takeaways
- England defeated France 6-4 in a chaotic World Cup third-place playoff.
- Kylian Mbappe scored his ninth goal of the tournament to become the all-time leading scorer with 22 goals.
- Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick for England, while Bellingham became the first player to score seven goals at a World Cup.
England secured their best result at a World Cup since 1966 by defeating France 6-4 in a chaotic third-place playoff match. The game, played under oppressive heat conditions in Miami, saw both teams struggling with higher aspirations after painful semi-final exits.
Despite the high stakes, England's coach Thomas Tuchel made significant changes to his starting lineup, leaving out key players like Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. This decision paid off as Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice opened the scoring early in the match from a distance shot, followed by Ezri Konsa heading home for a 2-0 lead.
France, led by outgoing coach Didier Deschamps, also made multiple changes to their team, bringing on players like Ousmane Dembele and Dayot Upamecano. However, the introduction of these substitutes did little to change the course of the game as England's second-choice goalkeeper Dean Henderson kept France at bay.
The match took a decisive turn in the first half when Bukayo Saka scored his first goal after a swift break, followed by another in stoppage time, completing his hat-trick. Mbappe managed to score his ninth goal of the tournament, moving him ahead of Lionel Messi as the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with 22 goals.
France's attempts to equalize were thwarted by several missed opportunities, while England continued to add to their lead. Malo Gusto brought down Djed Spence in the penalty area, and Saka converted from the spot to complete his hat-trick. Dembele then scored a fourth goal for France, but Bellingham's individual effort secured the 10th goal of the match and made him the first player to score seven goals at a World Cup.
The victory was bittersweet for England as they will carry bitter memories of their defeat by defending champions Argentina. Deschamps led France to World Cup glory in 2018 but finished as runners-up four years ago, with his team's performance in the semi-finals against Spain being described as 'catastrophic' by the coach himself.
With this result, England secured third place and their best finish at a World Cup since 1966. The match also saw Bellingham etch his name into history books, becoming the first player to score seven goals in a single World Cup tournament.
