England survive France fightback and secure third place in World Cup goalfest

Bukayo Saka netted a hat-trick, including a late penalty, as England edged out France 6-4 in a thrilling World Cup third-place playoff. The victory secured England their best World Cup finish since their sole title triumph in 1966, capping a remarkable tournament for the team.

The match was a goal-fest, characterized by a stark contrast between the two halves. England established a commanding 4-0 lead by halftime, with goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and two from Saka. However, France, inspired by Kylian Mbappe, staged a dramatic second-half comeback. Mbappe scored twice, reaching a new milestone as the World Cup's all-time leading scorer, and Ousmane Dembele also found the net, bringing France within striking distance.

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We had a brilliant first half and then a turbulent second half. We are so, so tired and drained from the last weeks ... I have said it before, this team has created something very special, and they showed it again.

Despite France's spirited fightback, England's substitute Jude Bellingham sealed the win with his seventh goal of the tournament in stoppage time, the most by an England player at a single World Cup. England manager Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the team's exhaustion but praised their ability to create something special, highlighting a "brilliant first half" followed by a "turbulent second half."

The 10-goal thriller set a new record for the highest-scoring third-place playoff, surpassing France's 6-3 victory over West Germany in 1958. Mbappe's brace not only narrowed the gap in the race for the Golden Boot but also saw him surpass Lionel Messi as the all-time World Cup top scorer with 22 goals. Messi, playing in his final World Cup, had one more opportunity to add to his tally in the final.

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In the first half, I can understand those who say we were taking the piss, that we didn’t respect the shirt. I would say instead that we were human. Unfortunately, we were completely stunned. They gave us a proper wake-up call. In the second half, we became top-level players again, mental machines who no longer have feelings.