England secured a third-place finish at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Bukayo Saka produced a scintillating hat-trick in a thrilling 6-4 victory over France at the Miami Stadium on Saturday.
The Three Lions, under the guidance of head coach Thomas Tuchel, delivered a dominant first-half performance, racing to a commanding 4-0 lead before the break.
Captain Declan Rice opened the scoring with a stunning long-range strike in the third minute, before Ezri Konsa doubled England’s advantage with a well-taken header. Saka then grabbed a first-half brace to leave France with a mountain to climb.
The French side responded strongly after the restart, with captain Kylian Mbappé scoring twice to become the FIFA World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer. Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé also found the back of the net as Les Bleus mounted a spirited comeback.
However, England held their nerve as Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 87th minute to restore the Three Lions’ cushion, before Jude Bellingham added a stoppage-time goal to seal an entertaining victory.
The win handed England the bronze medal as consolation for their semi-final defeat to Argentina, while France finished the tournament without a podium place despite their spirited second-half display.
