England beat France 6-4 as Saka scores hat-trick in World Cup bronze match

England secured a dramatic 6-4 victory over France in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place play-off at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The high-scoring thriller — the most prolific third-place match in tournament history — saw England claim their best World Cup finish since 1966, while simultaneously casting a long shadow over the final farewell for outgoing France manager Didier Deschamps.

The match began as an English exhibition of dominance. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the 3rd minute, followed by an Ezri Konsa header in the 18th minute. Bukayo Saka, who had been an unused substitute in England's semi-final loss to Argentina, emerged as the game's pivotal figure, netting twice before halftime to hand his side a 4-0 lead. According to reporting from Deccanchronicle, it was the first time in World Cup history that France had conceded four goals in a single half.

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The second half transformed after Deschamps introduced substitutes. France’s resurgence was spearheaded by captain Kylian Mbappé, who scored twice in the 48th and 66th minutes. His second strike solidified his place in history, pushing his career World Cup tally to 22 goals and moving him ahead of Lionel Messi as the all-time leading scorer in the tournament, as noted by Latimes.

Despite the French comeback, further fueled by a Barcola goal and a stoppage-time effort from Dembélé, England’s resilience held firm. In the 87th minute, after Djed Spence drew a foul from Malo Gusto, Bukayo Saka converted a penalty to complete his hat-trick. In a notable display of team unity, Jude Bellingham, who was also chasing individual records, held the ball at the spot to ensure Saka could focus on the kick. No, Jude was never taking it. He was the first one to say, ‘Go and get your hat trick.’ He was just holding the ball for me, Saka said via Sports. Jude Bellingham capped the victory in the 90+8th minute with his seventh goal of the tournament, setting a record for the most goals by an England player at a single World Cup.

Beyond the scoreline, the match saw significant individual milestones. France’s Michael Olise recorded two assists for Mbappé, bringing his tournament total to seven. According to Deccanchronicle, this surpassed the long-standing record of six assists held by Pelé since 1970.

Match Progression at a Glance

The post-match atmosphere reflected the complexity of the third-place play-off. England manager Thomas Tuchel, addressing the crowd and media, acknowledged the frustration surrounding the team’s semi-final exit but praised the squad's response. It is the first medal in 60 years, the best World Cup on foreign soil, so I hope the players can be proud of that in some time, Tuchel stated according to Sky Sports.

As the 2026 World Cup concludes, attention now shifts to the final between Argentina and Spain. While Mbappé leads the Golden Boot race, Lionel Messi remains in contention for the tournament's scoring title. England players depart the tournament with a bronze medal, while France begins a transition period, with Zinedine Zidane reported by Sky Sports as the likely successor to lead France at the 2028 European Championships.