England claimed bronze with a spectacular 6-4 victory over France in a 10-goal thriller in Miami to conclude their World Cup campaign
England hit back from their devastating loss to Argentina by seeing off France in a 10‑goal thriller, beating Didier Deschamps’ side 6-4 on Saturday in Miami. Bukayo Saka stole the spotlight, firing a superb first‑half hat‑trick to help secure the victory and clinch the bronze medal.
The Three Lions opened the scoring just three minutes in when Declan Rice intercepted a soft pass, drove forward, and unleashed a hard shot. Ezri Konsa doubled the lead in the 18th minute by getting on the end of a Rice corner kick to bury a well-taken header, setting the stage for Saka to steal the show.
Saka reacted quickest to a rebound off a Marcus Rashford shot to score his first in the 37th minute, and he struck again just before the break after being picked out by Konsa, giving England a commanding 4-0 lead at halftime. The drama intensified in the closing minutes of the match as both teams traded blows.
In the 87th minute, Jude Bellingham generously handed the ball to Saka, who calmly slotted home a penalty to secure his brilliant hat-trick and put England ahead 5-3. France refused to back down, and Ousmane Dembele kept the tension alive deep into stoppage time by knocking a left-footed strike into the corner to bring the scoreline to a breathless 5-4.
However, Bellingham had the final say in the 98th minute, capping off the historic evening with a stellar solo drive downfield to slot in his seventh goal of the tournament and firmly secure the bronze medal for England.
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Yet the pain of falling short of the final remained painfully evident. During post-match media obligations, Saka suddenly departed his BBC interview after the presenter clumsily implied that a third-place finish was ‘at least’ something.
The intense emotions of the tournament were felt throughout the entire coaching staff, as assistant manager Anthony Barry – typically recognised for his direct, uncompromising assessments, was visibly battling tears during a half-time interview.
Barry conveyed enormous pride in the squad, highlighting that they were competing with ‘broken hearts,’ and remarked that witnessing the players deliver such a display despite their heartbreak was an absolute honour. That feeling of togetherness carried on long after the final whistle.
During the medal ceremony, veteran keeper Jason Steele was mistakenly overlooked in the initial presentation, but Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham, and Jordan Henderson spotted the error straight away and dragged him onto the stage to make sure he was part of the festivities.
Reflecting on the emotional experience, Bellingham subsequently posted on Instagram a heartfelt, handwritten poem called “The Lion’s Way,” which had been specially written for the squad by Michael Chandler, the team’s official driver in Kansas.
Accompanying the poem, Bellingham expressed his enormous appreciation for the travelling fans and called on the country to preserve its newly-found solidarity, ending with a passionate vow that this group will accomplish remarkable feats provided they remain united.
With the World Cup concluding for England, players face an incredibly tight turnaround before returning to their respective clubs. European domestic leagues like the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A are only a few weeks away from kicking off their new seasons.
However, players will be granted a brief vacation to physically and mentally recover from the intense strain of the tournament. While their club teammates may already have spent weeks in gruelling pre-season training camps and jetting off on lucrative global tours, these international stars will report back directly to their club training grounds in early August.
Spain will face Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup final, with Lionel Messi’s side aiming to defend the title they won in 2022.