England secure third place at World Cup with 6-4 victory over France
England secure third place at World Cup with 6-4 victory over France
England claimed third place at the World Cup after a dramatic 6-4 victory over France in a match that saw Bukayo Saka score a hat-trick. The game, described as a rollercoaster, concluded with England achieving their best World Cup finish since 1966. The bronze medal match, held in Miami, provided a high-scoring encounter with a total of ten goals.
The first half saw England establish a commanding lead, scoring four goals against a France team that appeared disengaged. Declan Rice opened the scoring, followed by a goal from Ezri Konsa and two from Saka, putting Thomas Tuchel’s side 4-0 up at half-time. This dominant performance came despite some supporters booing Tuchel before kick-off.
France, however, mounted a significant comeback in the second half. Kylian Mbappé, who was pursuing his second consecutive Golden Boot, scored twice. His goals, along with a strike from substitute Bradley Barcola, narrowed England’s lead. Mbappé’s two goals in this match made him the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 22 goals, and he became the first male player since Gerd Müller in 1970 to reach double figures in a single World Cup tournament.
Dramatic second half and late goals
The second half began with France making four changes, including bringing on Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola. Mbappé scored his first goal just three minutes into the second half after Ollie Watkins lost possession, allowing Michael Olise to provide a through ball. Barcola then scored to make it 4-2, and Mbappé added his second after exchanging passes with Olise, causing England to appear unsettled.
Despite Olise missing opportunities to equalize, England found a way to secure the win. A late penalty, awarded after Djed Spence was fouled by Malo Gusto, allowed Saka to complete his hat-trick in the 87th minute. This was Saka’s third goal of the match and England’s fifth.
The drama continued into added time when substitute Ousmane Dembélé scored in the 96th minute for France. However, England responded swiftly, with substitute Jude Bellingham scoring the tenth goal of the game just two minutes later. This goal marked Bellingham’s seventh of the tournament, setting a record for the most goals by an England player at a World Cup.
Reflections and future outlook
The match was Didier Deschamps’ last in charge of Les Bleus after 14 years at the helm. Mbappé had expressed his gratitude to Deschamps on social media before the game. For England, the victory provided a memorable end to their campaign, despite the lingering disappointment of their semi-final loss to Argentina.
Thomas Tuchel, who signed a contract extension before the tournament, aims to lead England into Euro 2028. His decision to make seven changes from the semi-final, including naming Declan Rice captain despite an injury, and starting Saka despite concerns from Arsenal regarding William Saliba’s injury, highlighted his approach. The absence of Kobbie Mainoo from the bench due to injury was also noted, though Jordan Henderson was among the substitutes despite a broken arm.
The performance of players like Saka and Marcus Rashford in this match, particularly after Saka was an unused substitute in the semi-final, has led to discussions regarding Tuchel’s tactics in the earlier stages of the tournament. Despite these debates, the team’s effort over the past five weeks was appreciated by supporters as they received their bronze medals.
The game itself featured several notable moments, including Desiré Doué’s loose pass leading to Rice’s early goal, Saka’s disallowed goal from a Morgan Rogers pass, and Konsa’s header from a Rice corner. Marcus Rashford’s nutmeg on Warren Zaïre-Emery and subsequent shot, along with Dean Henderson’s saves against Mbappé, were also key moments in the high-octane encounter. Eberechi Eze’s pass set up Saka’s second goal just before half-time, contributing to the 4-0 lead.
This World Cup third-place playoff, with its ten goals, will likely be remembered as one of the tournament’s most exciting matches. England’s 6-4 victory over France secured their best World Cup finish since 1966.
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Source: theguardian.com