England 6-4 France: Bukayo Saka Hat-Trick Hero In Explosive World Cup Goal-Fest

[ASFN Admin]

You must be registered for see images attach

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Bronze Final - France v England - Miami Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S. - July 18, 2026 England's Bukayo Saka scores their fifth goal from the penalty spot to complete a hat-trick IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Nathan Ray Seebeck

England 6-4 France turned into one of the wildest World Cup matches in years, as the Three Lions held off a stunning second-half fightback to claim the bronze medal. Bukayo Saka’s hat-trick secured England’s best World Cup finish since 1966, in a match that looked like a formality at halftime and nearly slipped away by the final whistle.

England 6-4 France: A Stunning First-Half Blitz​

England raced to a 4-0 halftime lead against a France side that looked disengaged from the opening whistle. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute with a clinical finish after latching onto a misplaced pass, before turning provider in the 18th minute when his corner was headed home by Ezri Konsa. Saka then took over, converting a rebound from a Marcus Rashford chance in the 37th minute before adding a second just before the break, collecting a through ball from Eberechi Eze to fire past the goalkeeper and make it 4-0 at the interval.

Mbappé Sparks A Wild Comeback​

France came out transformed after halftime, and Kylian Mbappé led the fightback almost single-handedly. He pulled one back within three minutes of the restart, then turned provider himself in the 54th minute, setting up substitute Bradley Barcola to make it 4-2. Mbappé completed his brace in the 66th minute with a fine finish after combining with Michael Olise, a goal that also made him the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 22 career goals, moving him two clear of Lionel Messi in the tournament’s Golden Boot race.

You must be registered for see images attach

France’s Kylian Mbappe reacts after the match

Saka Completes His Hat-Trick​

With France suddenly threatening a full comeback, Saka settled the England 6-4 France scoreline once again. Djed Spence won a penalty in the 87th minute after Malo Gusto’s challenge, and Saka stepped up to send the goalkeeper the wrong way, completing his hat-trick and becoming only the fourth Englishman ever to score three goals in a single World Cup match. The drama wasn’t finished, though. Substitute Ousmane Dembélé pulled France within a goal in the 96th minute, curling a finish into the corner to set up a nervy final stretch.

You must be registered for see images attach

England’s Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring their fifth goal to complete a hat-trick with Jude Bellingham and Reece James

Bellingham Seals The Historic Win​

Two minutes after Dembélé’s goal, Jude Bellingham delivered the decisive blow, dribbling into the box and rounding defenders to finish from close range in the 98th minute. The goal made it 6-4 and gave Bellingham seven goals for the tournament, the most by any England player at a single major tournament in the country’s history. It capped an emotional week for England, coming just three days after their heartbreaking semifinal loss to Argentina.

You must be registered for see images attach

England’s Jude Bellingham scores their sixth goal

What Both Managers Had To Say​

England coach Thomas Tuchel called the win one of the proudest moments of his time in charge, crediting his players’ mentality despite visible exhaustion from a grueling tournament schedule. He explained Saka’s surprising absence from the Argentina semifinal by pointing to in-game decisions forced by cramps and how that match unfolded, adding that he hadn’t even realized Saka had scored a hat-trick until after the final whistle. Saka himself admitted afterward that he would have loved to play more minutes across the tournament, though he was careful to frame his frustration as motivation rather than complaint.

England 6-4 France Rant: A Fitting End To Both Campaigns​

For Didier Deschamps, the loss marked his final match in charge of France after 14 years, a disappointing way to close out a hugely successful managerial spell. For England, the result offers a strong foundation heading into the country’s home Euros in 2028, with Tuchel’s side proving they can still produce moments of real quality even in a match with nothing tangible at stake. For the full breakdown of every goal and player rating from the match, Sky Sports’ complete match report covers all 10 goals in detail, while the Golden Boot standings update shows exactly where Mbappé now stands ahead of Sunday’s final.

The post England 6-4 France: Bukayo Saka Hat-Trick Hero In Explosive World Cup Goal-Fest appeared first on Stadium Rant.

Continue reading...