England’s Nigerian-born winger, Bukayo Saka is relishing the hat trick he netted against France in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third place match, which helped his side knick their best finish at the Mundial since 1966, when they won their only title on home soil, Sports247 reports.
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Saka was beaming with delight minutes after the ‘losers final’ in Miami, USA, as England pulled off a sensational 6-4 victory over France, to pick bronze at the first World Cup to be co-hosted by three countries and give themselves a huge consolation in terms of pride against their neighbours.
The ‘match no wants to play’ turned into a real thriller, as England were 4-0 up at half-time – with goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa’s header and Saka’s double, as Thomas Tuchel’s side took an early lead, but they dropped their steam in the second half.
France stormed back after half-time, with a tremendous push that could have seen them pull off a sensational comeback through Kylian Mbappe’s double – which saw him become the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 22 goals – and substitute Bradley Barcola’s dashing strike.
Another Nigerian-born player on the pitch, Michael Olise missed two huge opportunities to equalise for France before Djed Spence won a penalty that Saka converted to complete his hat-trick but Ousmane Dembele, who played as sub, hit target in the 96th minute to take the game into a dramatic climax.
Just two minutes later and deep into added time, another substitute on the pitch, Jude Bellingham struck the game’s 10th goal to set the record for the biggest scoreline in a World Cup third place match, as well as most goals by an England player at a major tournament (seven) and secure The Three Lions’ first ever third-place finish.
Saka, who became the fourth England player to score a World Cup hat trick, said afterwards: “Obviously, I’d have loved to have played more at the World Cup, but now it’s too late. I tried to do my talking on the pitch, and it’s done now.”
Sports247 reports further that Saka’s sensational hat trick in Miami, USA is also the second by an English player during a World Cup knockout match, after Geoff Hurst in their 1966 conquest of the competition, but fourth in games across all stages of the global football showpiece.
