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Saka scores 3, Mbappé scores 2 as England beats France 6-4 for third place
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- England defeated France 6-4 in a thrilling World Cup third-place match, with Bukayo Saka scoring a hat trick to lead the Three Lions to their second-best finish ever.
- Kylian Mbappé scored twice, surpassing Lionel Messi’s World Cup goal record with 22 career goals and leading the Golden Boot race with 10 goals in this tournament.
- England built a 4-0 halftime lead with goals from Saka, Declan Rice, and Ezri Konsa, holding off a strong French comeback effort in the second half.
- England coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the pain of missing the final but viewed the third-place finish as a step forward in closing the gap with top teams like Argentina and France.
- France coach Didier Deschamps, in his final match after 14 years, expressed disappointment over the semifinal loss and the third-place game performance.
