Saka’s Hat-trick, Bellingham’s Late Goal Seal England’s Best World Cup Finish Since 1966
Miami, July 19: England produced a spectacular attacking display to defeat France 6-4 in an unforgettable FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place play-off, with Bukayo Saka scoring a brilliant hat-trick and Jude Bellingham adding the final goal in a breathtaking 10-goal thriller.
Thomas Tuchel’s side raced into a commanding four-goal lead before surviving a spirited French comeback to secure third place and record England’s best FIFA World Cup finish since winning the title in 1966.
England Race Into Four-Goal Lead
England made the perfect start when stand-in captain Declan Rice intercepted a loose pass from Désiré Doué before curling a stunning long-range effort into the bottom corner in just the third minute.
The Three Lions doubled their advantage in the 18th minute as Ezri Konsa powered home a header from Rice’s inswinging corner.
France struggled to contain England’s pace throughout the opening half. After Marcus Rashford had repeatedly troubled the French defence, he unselfishly squared the ball for Bukayo Saka to score England’s third in the 37th minute.
Deep into first-half stoppage time, Eberechi Eze released Saka once again, and the Arsenal winger calmly slotted home his second goal to send England into the break with an emphatic 4-0 lead.
France Stage Stunning Comeback
France emerged with renewed energy after the restart.
Just three minutes into the second half, Kylian Mbappé finished confidently after being played through by Michael Olise.
Mbappé then turned provider six minutes later, setting up Bradley Barcola, who reduced the deficit to 4-2.
France’s momentum continued in the 66th minute as Olise produced another assist for Mbappé, whose clinical finish made it 4-3. The strike also saw Mbappé become the outright leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history, surpassing Lionel Messi’s tally of 21 World Cup goals.
Saka Completes Hat-trick, Bellingham Finishes the Job
With France pushing for an equaliser, England regained control late in the match.
After Malo Gusto fouled Djed Spence inside the penalty area, Bukayo Saka converted from the spot in the 87th minute to complete a memorable hat-trick and restore England’s two-goal cushion.
France refused to give up, with Ousmane Dembélé scoring during stoppage time to make it 5-4.
However, England had the final word moments later as Jude Bellingham dribbled past three defenders before calmly finishing to seal a remarkable 6-4 victory.
Bellingham’s strike took his tally to seven goals in the tournament, setting a new record for the most goals scored by an England player in a single FIFA World Cup.
England Finish Third at FIFA World Cup 2026
The victory secured third place for England and provided a memorable finish to Thomas Tuchel’s first FIFA World Cup campaign in charge.
Despite an inspired second-half comeback, France bowed out with defeat in what proved to be Didier Deschamps’ final match as head coach.
Match Summary
| Result | England 6-4 France |
|---|---|
| Venue | Miami |
| Competition | FIFA World Cup 2026 Third-Place Play-off |
| England Goals | Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, Bukayo Saka (3), Jude Bellingham |
| France Goals | Kylian Mbappé (2), Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé |
FIFA World Cup Malayalam Commentary Live: Argentina vs Spain Final Streaming on ZEE5
Football fans across Kerala can experience the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final with live Malayalam commentary exclusively on ZEE5. As the official digital streaming platform for the tournament, ZEE5 brings every moment of the Argentina vs Spain title clash to viewers in their preferred language, delivering an immersive match-day experience.
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