England defeated France 6-4 in a chaotic third-place playoff on Saturday, securing their best World Cup finish since 1966. The 10-goal spectacle saw England take a dominant lead in the first half with goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and a hat-trick from Bukayo Saka.
Despite the defeat, France forward Kylian Mbappé made history by becoming the tournament's all-time leading scorer. By netting two goals in the second half, Mbappé reached 22 career World Cup goals, surpassing the previous record held by Lionel Messi. The Real Madrid forward achieved this feat over 22 appearances, having scored four goals in 2018 and eight in 2022.
Mbappé also strengthened his lead in the Golden Boot race, finishing his third World Cup campaign with 10 goals. France's second-half comeback effort included a strike from Bradley Barcola, but the surge was not enough to overcome England. The match also marked the final game for French coach Didier Deschamps after 14 years in charge of Les Bleus.