Bukayo Saka delivered a sensational hat-trick as England defeated France 6-4 in a breathtaking FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff, sealing the nation’s first-ever bronze medal finish at the tournament.
In one of the most entertaining matches of the competition, Thomas Tuchel’s side stormed into a commanding 4-0 first-half lead before surviving a spirited French comeback led by Kylian Mbappé.
England made their intentions clear from the outset. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute after capitalising on a defensive error before Ezri Konsa doubled the advantage with a powerful header from Rice’s corner.
Saka thought he had added a third but was ruled offside. Undeterred, the Arsenal winger eventually found the net after sustained pressure from England’s attack, before adding his second just before halftime from an Eberechi Eze assist to give the Three Lions a seemingly comfortable 4-0 advantage.
France, however, emerged from the break transformed. Manager Didier Deschamps made four substitutions, and the changes paid immediate dividends as Mbappé scored within three minutes of the restart. Bradley Barcola soon reduced the deficit further before Mbappé struck again after a slick exchange with Michael Olise, cutting England’s lead to a single goal and raising the prospect of an unlikely comeback.
With England under intense pressure, Tuchel introduced fresh legs from the bench, including Jude Bellingham. The midfielder restored England’s cushion with his seventh goal of the tournament before Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot. Ousmane Dembélé added a late goal for France, but England held on to complete a memorable 6-4 victory.
The win provided a measure of consolation for England after their painful semi-final defeat to Argentina and handed Tuchel his first major tournament podium finish with the national team.
For France, the match marked the end of Didier Deschamps’ 14-year tenure as head coach. Although Les Bleus fell short, Mbappé’s two goals took his tournament tally into double figures, making him the first male player since Gerd Müller in 1970 to score 10 or more goals in a single World Cup. The Real Madrid forward also strengthened his lead in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot.
England’s thrilling triumph capped an eventful World Cup campaign and offered supporters optimism as Tuchel begins preparations for UEFA Euro 2028 on home soil.
