Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick as England beat France 6-4 in a thrilling third-place play-off, securing their best men's World Cup finish since 1966. The match at Miami Stadium saw England race into a 4-0 first-half lead through Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and two from Saka, against a France side that, according to the Guardian's Ed Aarons, were "firmly on their sunloungers" during that period.
But Kylian Mbappé, chasing his second successive Golden Boot in what was Didier Deschamps' last match in charge of France, sparked a comeback straight after half-time. He scored twice, including one after Bradley Barcola's strike, reducing the deficit to 4-3. Mbappé's double took him to double figures for the tournament, making him the first male player to achieve that since Gerd Müller in 1970.
“Bukayo Saka hat-trick leads England to 6-4 win over France, securing best World Cup finish since 1966.”
England responded through Saka's late penalty to complete his hat-trick and a seventh goal of the tournament from substitute Jude Bellingham. The 6-4 victory ensured Thomas Tuchel's side claimed third place for the first time, despite the match beginning with boos from some supporters directed at the German coach.
Tuchel, who signed a contract extension before the tournament and has indicated he wants to lead England into Euro 2028 on home soil, faced scrutiny after a tetchy pre-match press conference where he defended decisions made in the semi-final loss to Argentina. The reception given to Harry Kane and his teammates as they received bronze medals suggested the players' efforts across the five weeks were appreciated. Kane later spoke about how Tuchel can repair his relationship with England fans, though his specific remarks were not detailed in available sources.
Mbappé had extra motivation to send Deschamps off with a win after 14 years at the helm. The Real Madrid star published a social media message before kick-off thanking the manager who guided France to the 2018 title, calling it "your last dance." But England's resilience, epitomised by Saka's treble, ensured the afternoon ended in celebration rather than commiseration.