England signed off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in spectacular fashion as Bukayo Saka produced a historic hat-trick in a pulsating 6-4 victory over France in the third-place playoff.

The Arsenal winger not only inspired the Three Lions to a dramatic win but also etched his name into English football folklore by becoming the first England player since Geoff Hurst in 1966 to score a World Cup hat-trick in a knockout-stage match.

England looked to be cruising after a blistering first-half display. Saka struck twice before the break, while Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa also found the net to hand the Three Lions a commanding 4-0 lead at halftime. France, however, mounted a spirited comeback after the interval, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice and Bradley Barcola pulling the score back to 4-3, turning the contest into an end-to-end thriller.

Just when the momentum appeared to be swinging towards Les Bleus, Saka completed his hat-trick to restore England’s two-goal cushion at 5-3. Ousmane Dembele once again reduced the deficit to make it 5-4 and set up a nervy finish, but Jude Bellingham delivered the decisive blow with England’s sixth goal to seal an entertaining victory and secure third place.

Bukayo Saka creates History for England

Beyond the scoreline, Saka’s treble carried immense historical significance. He became only the fourth England player to score a hat-trick at a FIFA World Cup, joining an exclusive club that includes Geoff Hurst, Gary Lineker and Harry Kane.

Hurst remains the only player to score a hat-trick in a men’s FIFA World Cup final, doing so in England’s famous 4-2 extra-time victory over West Germany in 1966. Lineker followed with three goals against Poland at the 1986 World Cup before finishing as the tournament’s Golden Boot winner, while Kane struck a hat-trick against Panama during the 2018 group stage in Russia.