England claim World Cup bronze
England achieved their best World Cup finish since 1966, securing third place with a thrilling 6-4 victory over France. The match, described as one of the most entertaining in a major tournament for England, saw a total of ten goals. This result marks England‘s first medal at a World Cup in 60 years and their best-ever performance on foreign soil.
The game unfolded with England taking a commanding 4-0 lead by half-time. Goals came from Declan Rice, who was captain for the match, Ezri Konsa, and two from Bukayo Saka. Rice opened the scoring in the third minute, intercepting a pass and striking the ball past France goalkeeper Mike Maignan. He then assisted Konsa‘s goal from a near-post corner. Saka added his first after a sharp breakaway, and his second came from a through-ball from teammate Eberechi Eze.
Despite the significant lead, France, under manager Didier Deschamps in his final game, mounted a strong comeback in the second half. Kylian Mbappé scored twice, and Bradley Barcola also found the net, narrowing England‘s lead to within one goal. Mbappé‘s goals took his tournament tally to 10 and his overall World Cup total to 22, surpassing Lionel Messi‘s all-time record. France‘s resurgence created a period of intense pressure, with goalkeeper Dean Henderson making several key saves from Rayan Cherki, Mbappé, and Ousmane Dembélé.
Dramatic second half and late goals
The momentum shifted considerably after the interval, with France displaying renewed energy. Mbappé‘s first goal came in the 48th minute, followed by Barcola‘s strike six minutes later. Mbappé then completed a slick team move for his second goal, further closing the gap. France had several opportunities to equalise, making for a deeply frustrating yet enthralling second half.
Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 87th minute after Djed Spence was fouled. This made him only the second England player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup knockout match, a feat previously achieved by Sir Geoff Hurst in the 1966 final. Ousmane Dembélé then curled home a goal in injury time, bringing the score to 5-4. However, Jude Bellingham sealed England‘s victory in the 98th minute with his seventh goal of the tournament, driving through France‘s defence and finishing coolly. Bellingham‘s seven goals make him the highest-scoring England player at a single World Cup.
Manager Thomas Tuchel made seven changes for the match, including resting Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, while giving Saka a start. Tuchel acknowledged the pain of missing out on the final but expressed pride in his team’s achievement. He noted that the bronze medal is the first for England in 60 years and the first on foreign soil. He challenged his players to continue improving, with their next fixture being a Nations League meeting with Spain at Wembley on 26 September.
Reflections and farewells
Tuchel revealed that Jordan Henderson delivered a speech before the game, which helped to put the team’s achievement into perspective and unite them. Anthony Barry, Tuchel‘s assistant, gave an emotional half-time interview, expressing surprise at the team’s performance given their disappointment from the semi-final. He stated his pride in the boys and their effort despite playing with “broken hearts.”
Saka, despite his hat-trick, expressed disappointment at not having played more in the tournament, particularly in the semi-final against Argentina. He emphasised the team’s need to move on from the semi-final loss and focus on their strong finish. This match also marked the end of Didier Deschamps‘ 14-year tenure as France manager. Deschamps, who led France to World Cup glory in 2018, described his time with the national team as “the most beautiful period of my life.” Zinedine Zidane is expected to take over from Deschamps.
The game set a record as the highest-scoring World Cup third-place match ever, surpassing the 1958 encounter between France and West Germany. France conceded six goals in a World Cup match for the first time, and it was the first time they conceded six goals in any match in 66 years. The match featured 38 shots, with 20 on target, making it the World Cup match with the most goals for England.
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Source: theguardian.com
Lucy Ashby is a Sports Reporter at NewsGB. She reported on the county circuit and Team GB. She focuses on tennis, cricket and athletics and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from Durham University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Durham, she plays club cricket and follows distance running. “The best sport reporting starts by listening.”
