Jude Bellingham Scores as England Wins 6-4 vs France

England secured the bronze medal with a dramatic 6‑4 victory over France in the third‑place match, delivering a flamboyant finish to Didier Deschamps’ final stint as coach. The result marked England’s best World Cup performance since 1966 and gave the tournament a memorable závěr.

Why Bellingham Waited for Saka’s Penalty

When the 87th‑minute spot kick was awarded, the ball was placed for the taker. Bellingham simply held it on the spot, letting Saka approach. Saka later explained that the gesture was intentional: “No, Jude was never taking it. He was the first one to say, ‘Go and get your hat trick.’ He was just holding the ball for me, so none of them could distract me. I was always taking it.”

The choice paid off instantly. Saka’s conversion completed a hat‑trick, joining Harry Kane, Gary Lineker and Bellingham among England’s all‑time World Cup scorers.

Bellingham’s role in the finish was twofold. He had already netted in the first half and later added the decisive goal in added time (90+8′) to become the tournament’s highest‑scoring midfielder, a new benchmark for the competition.

Key Stats from the Third‑Place Clash

• Final score: England 6, France 4.
• Bellingham’s 90+8′ strike secured his spot as the highest‑scoring midfielder in World Cup history.
• Saka completed a hat‑trick, ranking behind Harry Kane, Gary Lineker and himself among England’s all‑time tournament scorers.
• England’s best World Cup finish since winning in 1966.
• Deschamps coached France for the last time, seeing his side lose a high‑scoring encounter.

The match will be remembered for the sportsmanship shown by Bellingham, the firepower of Saka’s three goals, and the sheer excitement of a six‑goal thriller that underlined England’s resurgence on the global stage.