England triumphed over France 6-4 in a thrilling and chaotic World Cup third-place playoff on Saturday. The match saw Kylian Mbappe become the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with his 22nd goal. Both teams, having suffered semi-final exits, fielded heavily rotated sides in the oppressive Miami heat.
Declan Rice put England ahead early, and Ezri Konsa doubled the lead. Bukayo Saka scored twice before halftime to make it 4-0. France's Didier Deschamps made multiple substitutions at halftime, and Mbappe's double, including his record-breaking goal, brought France back into contention.
Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, and Jude Bellingham added a late goal to secure England's 6-4 victory. This result marks England's best World Cup performance since their 1966 win. France, despite the loss, can take pride in Mbappe's historic achievement.
The win gives England a measure of consolation after their painful semi-final defeat by Argentina. France, under Deschamps for the last time as coach, will reflect on a tournament where they were favorites but fell short in the semis against Spain. The final between Argentina and Spain will take place on Sunday.
