Saka hat-trick seals 6-4 England win over France in epic World Cup third-place playoff

England have finished third at the World Cup after beating France in a wild match they might have lost after being 4-0 up at half-time. France responded to get within a goal at 4-3, then made it 5-4 after Bukayo Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, before a brilliant individual effort by the substitute Jude Bellingham set the seal on a remarkable, thrilling encounter.

With the pressure lifted on both teams after their semi-final exits, they produced a highly entertaining match which could have ended with almost any number of goals as attack got the better of defence from start to finish.

England, who made seven changes, including starting Bellingham on the bench and leaving out Harry Kane, threw away a one-goal lead against Argentina and losing their advantage here would have been all the more extraordinary.

They produced an outstanding attacking performance in the first half and might have scored more than four times, though they also gave up chances to France in a game open and enjoyable from the off and showcasing outstanding forward play.

After Declan Rice had capitalised on slack play by Desiré Doué to give Engand the lead from outside the box, his corner set up Ezri Konsa to head the second. Saka followed by finding the net twice inside 10 minutes, first set up by Marcus Rashford, then by Eberechi Eze.

Tuchel’s assistant Anthony Barry was audibly and visibly emotional in his half-time interview with the BBC, talking of his pride at the performance and saying: “I see 11 lads out on the field with broken hearts, I’ve seen them in the hotel the last two days with broken hearts, and they can build a performance like that just through pride of playing for England.”

But Barry also warned: “The game’s not done – anything can happen.” And if that felt far-fetched he was right. France were determined not to end their tournament and Didier Deschamps’ time in charge with a whimper and responded with three goals before the second-half hydration break.

Kylian Mbappé got the first and third, to become the first player since Gerd Müller in 1970 to score 10 goals in a World Cup and move two ahead of Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot before the Argentinian plays in Sunday’s final. Both Mbappé’s goals were assisted by Michael Olise, who missed three excellent chances as France piled on the pressure.

Bradley Barcola got France’s second, slotting past Dean Henderson, and Olise would regret his misses when England, who were continuing to create openings of their own in a helter-skelter match, won a penalty with about five minutes of normal time remaining.

Djed Spence was brought down and Saka was nerveless from the spot. A further France goal by Ousmane Dembélé deep in stoppage time proved immaterial, all the more so when Bellingham danced through the France defence to get the game’s 10th and final goal.