England defeats France 5-3 in World Cup thriller as Saka joins Geoff Hurst in history books

Bukayo Saka just did something only one other Englishman has ever done at a World Cup. And that other guy had to wait 60 years for company.

England dismantled France 5-3 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff on July 18, with Saka netting three goals to become only the second England player to record a hat-trick in a World Cup knockout-stage match. The first was Geoff Hurst, who accomplished the feat in the 1966 final.

Eight goals, one unforgettable match

England came out swinging. Declan Rice opened the scoring in just the 3rd minute. Ezri Konsa doubled the lead in the 18th minute, and by the time Saka struck his first in the 37th minute, it looked like France might be in for a long afternoon.

Saka added his second just before halftime, at 45’+1′, giving England a commanding lead heading into the break.

France, to their credit, didn’t fold. Kylian Mbappé pulled one back in the 48th minute, and Bradley Barcola made it 4-2 in the 54th. When Mbappé scored again in the 66th minute to bring France within one, the momentum had shifted entirely. A 4-1 cushion had been trimmed to 4-3.

Then Saka sealed it. An 87th-minute penalty completed his hat-trick and restored the two-goal margin, sending England to a 5-3 victory and giving the Arsenal forward a place alongside Hurst in the history books.

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