England wins World Cup third-place playoff against France in thrilling 6-4 match

England secured third place in the World Cup by defeating France 6-4 in a high-scoring and dramatic playoff match. The game remained tense until the final moments, with England establishing a significant 4-0 lead before halftime thanks to goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and Bukayo Saka (two).

France mounted a strong comeback in the second half, scoring three goals within the first 21 minutes through Kylian Mbappé (two) and Bradley Barcola, narrowing the deficit to 4-3. Mbappé's brace made him the World Cup's all-time leading scorer with 22 goals, surpassing Lionel Messi's previous record of 21.

Despite France's efforts, Saka converted a penalty in the 87th minute for England, extending their lead to 5-3. Late goals from substitutes Dembélé (5-4) and Bellingham (6-4) in stoppage time sealed the final score. This third-place finish represents England's best performance since their World Cup victory in 1966.

The match also served as a farewell for French coach Didier Deschamps, who concluded his 14-year tenure. Deschamps, a World Cup winner as both a player in 1998 and a coach in 2018, received an emotional tribute from Kylian Mbappé, who described him as "one of the greatest legends of the country" on social media.

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one of the greatest legends of the country