England Edge France in a Wild Third-Place Play-Off

Simon Carver

Welcome back everybody. I'm Simon Carver.

Billy Galligan - Author

And I'm Billy Galligan. And we said nobody would remember the third-place play-off.

Simon Carver

We were wrong.

Billy Galligan - Author

We were spectacularly wrong. France versus England in Miami. The game nobody wanted to play in. Ten goals. A hat-trick. An all time World Cup scoring record broken. And two goals in stoppage time just to make absolutely sure nobody left early.

Simon Carver

Where do you even start with this one?

Billy Galligan - Author

You start with Declan Rice in the third minute. A curler from distance, straight into the bottom corner. The kind of goal you'd be proud of in any game, let alone one your team is supposed to be too emotionally drained to play.

Simon Carver

And then Rice turned provider — assisting Konsa's header from a corner minutes later. Two-nil inside ten minutes. England were flying.

Billy Galligan - Author

And then Saka. Oh, Saka. Tapping in from Rashford's unselfish pass for three. Then scoring a brilliant finish from the edge of the box for four. Four-nil at half time. In a third-place play-off. Against France. This was not supposed to happen.

Simon Carver

Didier Deschamps, in his final game as France manager, must have wondered what on earth was going on.

Billy Galligan - Author

And then the second half. And France remembered they were France.

Simon Carver

Mbappé scored in the forty-eighth minute — one. Then assisted Barcola — two. Four-two. France were alive.

Billy Galligan - Author

And then Mbappé scored again. And as he did, he became the all time leading scorer in World Cup history. Passing Messi's record of twenty goals. In a third-place play-off. In Miami. Not quite how anyone imagined that moment but football rarely delivers history on schedule.

Simon Carver

Both of Mbappé's goals were assisted by Olise — who in doing so set a new record for the most assists in a single World Cup tournament since records began in 1966. Records falling everywhere.

Billy Galligan - Author

France were now at four-three and building toward a leveller. The momentum was all theirs. And then Gusto fouled Spence in the box and Saka stepped up for the penalty.

Simon Carver

Hat-trick. Five-three. Game presumably over.

Billy Galligan - Author

Presumably. And then Dembélé scored in the ninety-sixth minute. Five-four. And then Bellingham — a stunning solo goal in the ninety-eighth minute. Six-four. Final score.

Simon Carver

Ten goals. In a game nobody wanted to play. Between two teams whose hearts were broken in the semi-finals.

Billy Galligan - Author

England finish third at a World Cup for the first time since 1966 when they won the whole thing on home soil. Saka with a hat-trick. Rice with a goal and an assist. Bellingham with a stunner in stoppage time. Not a bad way to end the tournament.

Simon Carver

For France it was a bittersweet farewell. Mbappé breaking the all time record but on the losing side. Deschamps going out with a defeat after everything he's achieved — two World Cup finals, one winner's medal, a legacy that will never be forgotten.

Billy Galligan - Author

He deserved better from his last game. But his players gave everything they had and that has to count for something.

Simon Carver

And the golden boot. Mbappé now on eleven goals — the most any player has ever scored in World Cup history. Messi is on nine. To win the golden boot tomorrow Messi needs to score three goals in the final. To draw level he needs two.

Billy Galligan - Author

So now the final has another layer. Not just the World Cup trophy. Not just Messi versus Yamal. Not just Argentina's chance to go back-to-back. But Messi chasing Mbappé's record in what is almost certainly his last ever World Cup game.

Simon Carver

No pressure then.

Billy Galligan - Author

None at all. They say nobody remembers the third-place play-off. Tell that to the fans who witnessed ten goals. England leave with bronze, France leave with pride, and now the stage is set for the one everyone has been waiting for — Spain against Argentina, Yamal against Messi, for the biggest prize in football.

Simon Carver

We'll see you tomorrow.

Billy Galligan - Author

Don't be late.