France 4-6 England: Saka Hat-Trick Secures Third Place in Thriller

How it unfolded

England started explosively. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the 3rd minute. Ezri Konsa doubled the lead in the 18th minute, and Bukayo Saka added two more before halftime, including a stoppage-time goal to make it 4-0 at the break. France were shell-shocked but came out firing after the interval. Kylian Mbappe pulled one back in the 48th minute, and Bradley Barcola reduced the deficit further in the 54th minute. Mbappe struck again in the 66th minute to make it 4-3. Ousmane Dembele equalized in the 90+6th minute, completing a remarkable French comeback.

The decisive moments

Just as France seemed to have all the momentum, Bukayo Saka converted a penalty in the 87th minute to give England a 5-4 lead. Then, in the 90+8th minute, Jude Bellingham scored to restore England's two-goal advantage, sealing a 6-4 victory. Saka ended with a hat-trick, while Mbappe scored twice for France. England's early dominance proved crucial despite France's spirited fightback.

What it means

England claimed third place in the 2026 World Cup with a dramatic 6-4 win. The match saw 10 goals, with both teams having 19 shots each. England had 54% possession and 11 shots on target compared to France's 9. This thrilling encounter will be remembered for its swings and high-scoring nature.