Saka hat-trick helps England down France to win World Cup 2026 Bronze Final

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing AFP, reported that England defeated France 6-4 in the World Cup 2026 third-place playoff in Miami on Saturday, July 18, with Bukayo Saka scoring three times in a high-scoring match played after both teams’ semifinal losses. England had been beaten by Argentina, while France had fallen to Spain, leaving the bronze final as a consolation match for two sides that had entered the tournament with bigger ambitions.

England made a fast start despite manager Thomas Tuchel leaving Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham out of the starting lineup. Declan Rice scored from long range in the opening minutes, Ezri Konsa added a header, and Saka struck twice before halftime to put England 4-0 up. France coach Didier Deschamps, in what the report described as the end of a 14-year tenure, made several halftime changes after calling the first-half performance “catastrophic” on French television.

France’s response was led by Kylian Mbappe, who scored twice after the break. Al Jazeera reported that his second goal made him the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals, while also strengthening his position in the 2026 Golden Boot race. Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele also scored as France threatened a comeback, but Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Malo Gusto fouled Djed Spence.

Bellingham later added England’s sixth, becoming, according to the report, the first England player to score seven goals at a World Cup. The result gave England their best World Cup finish since their 1966 title, while France ended a campaign that had begun with expectations of another deep run.