Bukayo Saka hat-trick fires England to World Cup bronze in 10-goal thriller against France

Bukayo Saka struck a stunning hat-trick as England beat France 6-4 in a chaotic third-place play-off to clinch bronze at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Nigeria-eligible forward was the outstanding performer in a dramatic encounter in which England raced into a 4-0 lead, survived a fierce French comeback, and finally secured third place with two goals in stoppage time.

Saka’s display arrived on a night when another player with Nigerian roots, France winger Michael Olise, wrote his own chapter in World Cup history by breaking a long-standing assist record.

Olise eclipses Pele with record-breaking assists

According to Opta, Olise ended the 2026 World Cup with seven assists, surpassing Pele’s previous mark of six set at Mexico 1970 – the highest total in any World Cup since Opta’s records began in 1966.

Remarkably, five of Olise’s seven assists were for the goals of Kylian Mbappe, the most times one player has set up the same team-mate at a single World Cup in the Opta era.

Olise was formerly invited to represent Nigeria at international level, as were Saka and England midfielder Eberechi Eze, underlining once again the strong influence of Nigerian heritage on both squads in this tournament.

England storm into 4-0 half-time lead

England manager Thomas Tuchel restored Saka and Eze to his starting XI after both missed the semi-final defeat by Argentina, while another ex-Nigeria-eligible player, Noni Madueke, played no part.

The changes paid immediate dividends. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute, finishing calmly to give England the perfect start. Defender Ezri Konsa then made it 2-0 from a corner, capitalising on slack French marking to head home.

Saka soon seized control of the contest. The Arsenal forward struck twice before the interval, one of those goals created by Eze, as England swept forward with ruthless efficiency. By half-time, Tuchel’s side held a commanding 4-0 advantage and appeared to be cruising towards a comfortable bronze-medal victory.

Mbappe inspires France fightback

France, however, responded fiercely after the restart. Mbappe struck twice to drag his team back into the match, showcasing the clinical finishing that has made him one of the game’s biggest stars. Bradley Barcola then added a third to cut England’s lead to 4-3 and turn the game into a tense, open contest.

Olise was heavily involved in France’s resurgence, repeatedly creating chances and adding further to the sense that this third-place play-off would be remembered for attacking quality rather than defensive discipline.

Saka completes hat-trick as late goals settle epic

With the pressure mounting and France threatening to complete an extraordinary comeback, Saka delivered again. In the 87th minute, he stepped up to convert from the penalty spot, completing his hat-trick and restoring England’s two-goal cushion at 5-3.

France still refused to fold. Deep into stoppage time, Ousmane Dembele pulled another goal back to make it 5-4 and set up a nervy finale.

But any hopes of forcing extra time were extinguished moments later when Jude Bellingham struck in the 98th minute to seal a 6-4 victory and confirm England’s place on the podium.

Bronze for England, history for Saka

The result secured third place for England at the 2026 World Cup, providing a positive end to their campaign after the disappointment of losing to Argentina in the semi-finals.

Saka’s hat-trick in the bronze medal match ensured his status as the standout performer on the night and further enhanced his reputation on the world stage. Alongside Eze’s assist and the contributions of several other players of Nigerian descent, the match underlined the global reach of Nigerian footballing talent.

For France, Olise’s record-breaking tournament offers a major individual highlight despite missing out on a medal, while Mbappe’s brace added to his already-impressive tally of World Cup goals.

In a game that swung wildly from dominance to jeopardy and back again, it was Saka’s clinical finishing – and Olise’s history-making creativity – that ultimately defined an unforgettable third-place play-off.