Bukayo Saka completed a hat trick as England beat France 6-4 in the highest-scoring third-place match in World Cup history. England raced to a four-goal lead before halftime in Miami Gardens, survived France’s second-half recovery and secured its best finish since winning the tournament in 1966.
Declan Rice opened the scoring from outside the penalty area after three minutes. Ezri Konsa headed in Rice’s corner at 18 minutes, then Saka struck twice before the break. His first came from a Marcus Rashford pass on a fast break. His second, supplied by Eberechi Eze in first-half stoppage time, sent England into halftime 4-0 ahead only three days after its semifinal loss to Argentina.
France turned the game after the restart. Kylian Mbappé scored in the 48th minute, Bradley Barcola added another six minutes later and Mbappé’s second cut the deficit to 4-3 with 24 minutes remaining. A match that had looked settled became a test of whether England could absorb another swing three days after France’s semifinal defeat to Spain.
Saka gave England room again from the penalty spot in the 87th minute after Malo Gusto fouled Djed Spence. Ousmane Dembélé made it 5-4 six minutes into stoppage time, but Jude Bellingham completed a counterattack two minutes later to end France’s final attempt at a comeback.
The 10 goals set a record for a World Cup third-place match. No World Cup game had produced that many since Hungary beat El Salvador 10-1 in 1982. England and France each took 19 shots, with England placing 11 on target and France nine.
Saka’s hat trick and Mbappé’s record
Saka’s goals at 37, 45+1 and 87 minutes completed a hat trick in the most open game of the knockout stage. Rice added a goal and an assist, while Konsa scored England’s second. Thomas Tuchel began without Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, but the rotated lineup produced four goals before halftime.
England’s bronze medal improves on its fourth-place finishes in 1990 and 2018. The team lost twice in the tournament, to Argentina in the group stage and again in the semifinal, but responded to the second defeat with its most productive attacking performance of the competition.
Mbappé’s brace carried a different historical weight. He moved to 22 career World Cup goals, one beyond Lionel Messi’s previous record of 21. His 10 goals at this tournament also place him two ahead of Messi in the Golden Boot race before Argentina meets Spain in Sunday’s final.
The match was Didier Deschamps’ last after 14 years as France coach. His tenure ends with the 2018 championship, a runner-up finish in 2022 and three consecutive World Cup semifinals. France leaves the tournament in fourth place despite scoring four times in the second half.
The bronze final arrived under criticism because both teams were playing an eighth tournament match without five full recovery days after their semifinals. The schedule question remains. On the field, however, the fixture produced a 10-goal game, a Saka hat trick, a World Cup scoring record and England’s best finish in 60 years. A match neither side wanted became one neither could control.
