Saka hat-trick leads England to 6-4 win over France in World Cup third-place playoff

In a thrilling World Cup third-place playoff, England defeated France 6-4, with Bukayo Saka scoring a hat-trick. The match took place on Saturday, December 18, 2022, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar.

England's victory was powered by goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and two from Saka in the first half, giving them a 4-0 lead at halftime. France, playing in Didier Deschamps' final match as head coach, mounted a comeback in the second half. Kylian Mbappé scored twice, becoming the first male player to reach double figures at a World Cup since Gerd Müller in 1970, and Bradley Barcola added another goal. However, England held on to secure the win.

The result affects both teams' final standings in the tournament, with England finishing third and France fourth. For France, it marks the end of Deschamps' tenure, while England's performance under Thomas Tuchel, who had promised a reaction after their semifinal loss, shows their resilience.

Key figures from the match include Saka's hat-trick, Mbappé's two goals, and the 6-4 scoreline. The match was played in front of a crowd of 44,137 spectators. This was the highest-scoring third-place playoff in World Cup history.

Background: England reached this match after losing 2-1 to Croatia in the semifinals, while France lost 2-0 to Portugal in their semifinal. Deschamps had announced before the tournament that he would step down after the World Cup regardless of the result.

Next steps: England will now look ahead to future tournaments under Tuchel, while France will begin a new era with a new head coach. The match also highlighted Mbappé's continued dominance, as he finished as the tournament's top scorer with 10 goals.