Saka scores hat-trick as England beat France in 10-goal FIFA World Cup stunner
Third place is England's best World Cup finish since their 1966 triumph
Bukayo Saka scored a stunning hat-trick as England defeated France 6-4 in a thrilling FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff at Miami Stadium in Florida on Saturday.
Third place is England's best World Cup finish since winning the tournament in 1966.
In the match where defending was a second thought, Declan Rice put England ahead in the 3rd minute. The Arsenal midfielder won the ball back on the halfway line and drove forward to drill a shot into the bottom right corner.
Ezri Konsa doubled the lead for the Three Lions in the 18th minute. Rice delivered a perfect corner into the middle and Aston Villa’s man rose highest to flick the ball towards the far corner, and turned to see it bounce in off the post.
Saka scored a third for England in the 37th minute, playing in Marcus Rashford, totally free down the left, who was unable to beat the keeper, Mike Maignan and passed it to Saka, who struck the ball home.
A few minutes later, in stoppage time of the first half, the lead was made 4-0 when Eberechi Eze provided an assist.
France's reply was strong in the second half and Kylian Mbappe scored his ninth World Cup goal in the 48th minute of the match, going above Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot charts.
Ollie Watkins lost the ball on the halfway line, starting a French counterattack. Michael Olise then slipped in Mbappe, who side-footed into the bottom corner from the penalty spot.
France scored another six minutes later. Mbappe found Bradley Barcola ahead of him in the box, who hammered it past Dean Henderson at his near post.
Mbappe scored his second of the match in the 66th minute of the match, and he became the leading goalscorer in World Cup history after the goal.
From 4-0 down, France made it 4-3. Mbappe and Olise created some room with some one-twos on the edge of the box before the Real Madrid striker turned and slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
Mbappe now has 22 World Cup goals compared to Messi's 21.
Saka completed a hat-trick in the 87th minute by scoring from the penalty spot after Malo Gusto brought Djed Spence down in the box.
Ousmane Dembele scored deep into stoppage time to make the contest interesting after reducing the deficit to 5-4, but Jude Bellingham sealed England's victory with a sixth goal.
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