It began with boos and ended with bronze, but England’s 6-4 absolute fireworks show against France in the World Cup third-place match was one for the history books. Forget about anyone not wanting to play this game; what happened on that field in Miami Gardens was nothing short of wild. France looked like they were barely interested for the first 45 minutes, going into the break down 4-0 after a display so bad it was farcical. They totally punted on taking this third-place playoff seriously early on.
Saka’s Hat Trick & Mbappé’s Record-Setting Fight
But then, oh man, France woke up! They absolutely exposed England’s soft underbelly in the second half, reminding us of that semifinal loss to Argentina. Kylian Mbappé led their charge, not only bringing France to within one goal with 24 minutes left, but also breaking Messi’s World Cup goals record in the process. Seriously, that guy is unreal. Just when it looked like France might pull off the impossible comeback, Bukayo Saka completed his hat trick, cementing an absolutely massive individual performance. And then, as if that wasn’t enough, substitute Jude Bellingham scored a dazzling solo goal to seal the 6-4 win for England, giving them their best World Cup finish since all the way back in 1966.
Tuchel Silences The Haters, 60 Years in the Making
No coach is ever gonna be totally thrilled with a 6-4 scoreline, right? I mean, you’d bet France would win the second set if this were tennis. But here’s the deal: Thomas Tuchel walked into that stadium with his name getting jeered when the teams were announced. He walked out as England’s most successful manager at a World Cup in 60 years. That is a tangible, undeniable achievement he can throw right back in the face of all the ferocious criticism he got after the semifinal defeat to Argentina. He said it himself post-match, “It is the first medal in 60 years, the best World Cup on foreign soil, so I hope the players can be proud of that in some time.” He knows the drama from Argentina was “too low,” but he’s right: “The best thing you can do is react on the pitch and get the next win. Everything else is just talking, and talking doesn’t get you points.” This bronze medal? It’s not just talking. It’s a statement. And Tuchel and his squad absolutely delivered it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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