England vs France 2026: Saka Hat-Trick Secures Third Place in 10-Goal Thriller

Bukayo Saka scored three goals at Hard Rock Stadium as England beat France 6-4 to claim third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

England secured third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday with a 6-4 victory over France at Hard Rock Stadium. Bukayo Saka was the standout performer for the Three Lions, scoring a hat-trick to lead Thomas Tuchel’s side to their highest-scoring performance of the tournament. The scoring opened in the third minute when Declan Rice intercepted a pass from Désiré Doué and whipped a long-range strike into the far corner. Rice then turned provider, delivering a corner that Ezri Konsa headed past Mike Maignan after beating Adrien Rabiot in the air. Saka extended the lead to 4-0 before halftime, first finishing a counterattack following a pass from Marcus Rashford and then striking a second from an Eberechi Eze assist.

France manager Didier Deschamps, overseeing his 187th and final match, made four substitutions at the break that sparked a significant comeback. Kylian Mbappé reduced the deficit to 4-1 by finishing a Michael Olise pass before providing the assist for Bradley Barcola to score France’s second. Mbappé then claimed his brace with an emphatic strike inside the box just before the hydration break, bringing the score to 4-3 and moving one goal ahead of Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race. Despite the momentum, Olise missed a chance to equalize by firing wide from close range. England regained breathing room in the 85th minute when Malo Gusto fouled Djed Spence in the box, allowing Saka to complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot.

Late Drama and Individual Brilliance

The final minutes featured two additional goals during seven minutes of stoppage time. Ousmane Dembélé provided late hope for Les Bleus by firing a shot into the far corner to make it 5-4. However, Jude Bellingham sealed the 6-4 result moments later. After entering the game for Eze in the 79th minute, the Real Madrid midfielder drove through the French defense, showed composure against Maxence Lacroix, and found the net for an impressive individual goal. This late flurry followed a period where England’s defense, including Jarell Quansah and Marc Guéhi, struggled to contain France’s dynamic second-half attackers.

Key Player Performances and Ratings

Declan Rice earned a 9/10 rating for his dominant first-half display, which included a goal, an assist, and an interception while wearing the captain’s armband. Djed Spence received a 7/10 for his defensive work against Mbappé and for winning the crucial late penalty. Marcus Rashford also earned a 7/10, highlighted by a moment where he flicked the ball through the legs of Warren Zaïre-Emery before forcing a save from Maignan. In contrast, Jarell Quansah and Marc Guéhi both received 5/10 ratings; Quansah lost Barcola on France’s second goal and was later replaced by Reece James in the 83rd minute due to injury.

France’s Final Match Under Deschamps

For France, Michael Olise earned a 7/10 despite his late miss, having provided two assists in the second half. Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé also received 7/10 ratings for their goal-scoring contributions off the bench. Defensively, France struggled in the opening 45 minutes, with Theo Hernández, Maxence Lacroix, and Malo Gusto all receiving 4/10 ratings. Ibrahima Konaté was replaced at halftime by Dayot Upamecano after struggling with the transition of the ball. The match concluded with Trevoh Chalobah entering in the 93rd minute and Jules Koundé replacing Gusto at the 90-minute mark as England held on for the bronze medal.