England Take Third After 10-Goal France Thriller Led by Saka Hat-Trick

England defeated France 6-4 to finish third at the World Cup, with Bukayo Saka’s hat-trick deciding a chaotic playoff. Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and substitute Jude Bellingham also scored for England, while France’s late push fell short.

England built a commanding first-half lead through Rice, Konsa and two Saka goals, but France changed the tone after the interval. Kylian Mbappé scored twice, Bradley Barcola added another, and Ousmane Dembélé later kept the match alive before England closed it out.

The result gave England their first third-place finish at a World Cup and offered Thomas Tuchel a positive ending after the disappointment of the semi-final defeat to Argentina. The reaction around Tuchel remains part of the wider story, but the players’ response in a high-scoring pressure match was clear.

For France, the match also marked the end of Didier Deschamps’ long spell in charge. Mbappé’s two goals added to his individual tournament story, though the historical scoring claim attached to his tally should be independently checked before prominent use.