In a thrilling showdown on Saturday, England edged out France 6-4 in the third-place match of the World Cup, avoiding another catastrophic collapse reminiscent of their semifinal against Argentina. The match marked the highest-scoring World Cup game since Hungary's 10-1 victory over El Salvador in 1982.

England initially dominated, racing to a 4-0 lead with goals from Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, who netted twice in the first half. However, the tide turned dramatically when Kylian Mbappe struck back for France, scoring two goals as part of a rapid three-goal surge early in the second half. This performance propelled Mbappe to 21 World Cup goals, surpassing Lionel Messi for the most in tournament history, and making him the first player since Gerd Muller in 1970 to score in double digits at the World Cup.

Despite France's relentless attacking, including numerous missed chances, England's back line held firm, aided by coach Thomas Tuchel's decision to avoid excessive defensive substitutions. The match stayed tense as England's defense wavered, but deep into stoppage time, Djed Spence won a crucial penalty. Saka converted it for his hat trick, sealing England’s victory.

The Three Lions not only secured third place but also improved upon their fourth-place finish in the 2018 World Cup, marking their best finish since their 1966 triumph.