MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – In a shocking turn of events at the Hard Rock Stadium, England produced a dominant first-half performance to secure a 4-0 lead over 2022 runner-up France in Saturday’s World Cup third-place playoff, leaving Kylian Mbappé’s race for the tournament’s Golden Boot hanging in the balance.
Mbappé, who claimed the Golden Boot at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, retained his spot in France’s starting lineup for the high-stakes consolation match, still locked in a close top-scorer battle with Argentina’s Lionel Messi. Entering the game, both superstars sat level on eight goals apiece, though Messi holds the tiebreaker advantage with a 4-3 lead in assists.
What was expected to be a tightly contested encounter turned into a one-sided rout inside the opening 45 minutes. England manager opted to rest key stars Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane on the bench, but the decision paid off far faster than most observers predicted. Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice broke the deadlock just three minutes into the match, curling a precise finish beyond France goalkeeper Mike Maignan to put England ahead.
Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa doubled England’s lead in the 18th minute, nodding home from a corner kick. Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka put the game out of reach for France with a third goal in the 37th minute, before adding a fourth in first-half stoppage time. The blowout was particularly staggering for France: entering Saturday’s match, Deschamps’ side had conceded only four goals across the entire tournament.
Both nations entered the third-place playoff acknowledging they would have rather been competing in Sunday’s title decider. France fell to Spain in a tight semi-final clash, ending their bid to reach a third consecutive World Cup final. This match also marked the final international game in charge for long-serving France manager Didier Deschamps, with Mbappé and his squad having arrived in Florida aiming to send their departing coach out with a win. That goal now looks all but out of reach heading into the second half.
For England, a third-place finish would mark their best performance at a men’s World Cup since the Three Lions lifted their only global title in 1966.
In the tournament’s upcoming final, defending champion Argentina – who came from behind to defeat England in the semi-finals – will face Spain on Sunday, with Messi already guaranteed a chance to claim the Golden Boot and the World Cup trophy in what is widely expected to be his final World Cup appearance.