Dude, if you thought the World Cup campaign was winding down, you clearly didn’t catch the insanity that went down last night! The third-place play-off between France and England was an absolute goal-fest, setting the stage for tonight’s final with some serious fireworks and new records. England ultimately snagged a wild 6-4 victory over France in Miami, making it the highest-scoring World Cup fixture since way back in 1982. Seriously, what a game!
England’s Epic Win and Bellingham’s Record-Setting Surge
Bukayo Saka, the 24-year-old Arsenal star, put on an absolute clinic for England. He netted his first-ever hat-trick for the national team, a massive moment that fueled the Three Lions’ stunning win. That hat-trick also puts Saka in elite company, making him only the fourth England player to score three goals in one World Cup match, joining legends like Geoff Hurst (1966), Gary Lineker (1986), and Harry Kane (2018). England’s manager, Thomas Tuchel, even made history as the first foreign manager to win a World Cup medal since George Raynor in 1958. Talk about earning it, especially after France clawed back from a 4-0 half-time deficit to make it 4-3 in the final five minutes! But then Jude Bellingham, subbed on in the 79th minute, iced it with a delightful solo goal. And get this: Bellingham now holds a new national record for goals scored at a single World Cup with seven, blowing past Kane and Lineker. This podium finish marks England’s best World Cup performance since they won the whole thing on home soil in 1966.
Mbappe and Olise’s French Firepower Writes New History
Despite the loss, France still had some incredible moments, especially from Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise. Mbappe, who came into the game tied with Lionel Messi as the tournament’s top scorer, didn’t waste any time. He bagged a quick-fire second-half double, pushing him to ten goals for the tournament. Can you believe it? That’s the first time anyone has hit double figures in a single World Cup since German legend Gerd Müller back in 1970. But that’s not even the biggest news: with those goals, Mbappe now sits at 22 goals at the finals, making him the all-time leading scorer in the competition! He’s steering one clear of Messi, who will have his last shot to reclaim that spot tonight. A huge chunk of that was thanks to Michael Olise’s creativity. Olise didn’t score, but he dished out two second-half assists, reaching seven for the tournament and eclipsing Pele’s record. He also became the first player to register at least two assists in four different matches in the same World Cup. What a maiden appearance, even if his wastefulness denied Didier Deschamps a fairytale ending.
So, here we are. The dust from that wild third-place match is barely settled, and we’ve got the biggest one left. Tonight, it’s Argentina versus Spain in the showpiece final. All eyes will be on Messi to see if he can pull off something special and try to catch Mbappe for the all-time scoring crown. This is what it all comes down to, folks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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