Three days earlier, Bukayo Saka had watched from the substitutes' bench as England's World Cup dream died. Thomas Tuchel, his manager, kept the Arsenal winger an unused substitute even though he was fit enough to play, as Argentina scored twice in the closing stages to snatch a 2-1 semi-final victory. By Saturday evening in Miami, Saka had delivered his response: a hat-trick in a 6-4 third-place play-off win over France that sealed England's best World Cup finish since 1966.
His reply was emphatic. Saka struck twice inside the first half, first reacting quickest after Marcus Rashford's saved effort then collecting Eberechi Eze's through ball and calmly firing into the bottom corner. After France threatened an unlikely comeback, he completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot to restore England's two-goal cushion. The hat-trick made him only the fourth England player – after Geoff Hurst, Gary Lineker and Harry Kane – to score a World Cup hat-trick, and only the second after Hurst to do so in the knockout stages.
“Saka's hat-trick can't erase anguish of semi-final bench role as England finish third.”
Yet the pain of the semi-final loss remains. “I don’t think anything can lessen the pain that we felt from the other night. That one really hurt us, I’ll be honest,” Saka said. “But this was just about being professional and finishing strong. This group has got that togetherness. When we go into the next major tournament, this will definitely be fuel for us.”
Tuchel had started Morgan Rogers on the right in the semi-final, a decision that initially paid off when Rogers set up Anthony Gordon's opening goal. But after England surrendered a 1-0 lead – Enzo Fernandez equalised in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez headed home Lionel Messi's cross in stoppage time – the decision to leave Saka unused became a defining talking point. Saka warmed up but never entered the contest. Tuchel insisted it should not be read as a loss of faith. “He was excellent. Bukayo is a key player for me,” Tuchel said after the France win. “It was a tough decision to leave him out of the semi-final. I had a feeling after the Norway match that we needed to take it slow.”
Saka, who had been nursing an Achilles problem, admitted he wished he had played more. “I’ve worked so hard to try and get myself ready for this tournament and be available to produce moments like that,” he said. “On a personal level, it’s an incredible achievement. There’s only three other Englishmen that have done it. But nothing can lessen the pain.”
For full-back Djed Spence, the tournament was a “coming of age”. He said: “I always believe in myself and I’m happy I get to showcase on a bigger stage. It’s great to be the best since 1966. Obviously it’s not what we wanted, but we’re proud.” Saka, though, was already looking ahead: “We showed we could do it. That belief hasn’t left us. We’ll be back next tournament to try to get over the line.”