France v England FIFA World Cup third-place match result: Kylian Mbappe breaks all-time World Cup goalscoring record as Bukayo Saka hat-trick powers France in 10-goal thriller | Football news

England’s Jude Bellingham (10) fires the ball past France goalkeeper Mike Maignan (16) to score their sixth goal during the World Cup third place play-off match between France and England. (AP Photo)

A historic night for France talisman Kylian Mbappé ended in bittersweet heartbreak as England cruised to a wild 6-4 victory in an improbable, high-scoring third-place play-off at the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night. While Mbappé cemented his status as a football immortal by becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history with 22 goals, it was Bukaya Saka’s sensational hat-trick and the late Jude Bellingham’s solo mastery that earned England the bronze medal.Despite superstars Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham initially starting on the bench, the England side’s clinical scoring through the French defense established an early 4-0 lead. France, still reeling from their semi-final exit against Spain, looked completely dug in before their captain single-handedly dragged them back into contention.Mbappé started the save in the 48th minute, cleverly slotting past Three Lions goalkeeper Dean Henderson. In the 66th minute, the 27-year-old superstar created a moment of history. Receiving the ball inside the penalty area, he unleashed a fierce left-footed strike from 14 yards to beat Henderson again, taking his tournament tally to 10 goals – two more than Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. More importantly, the goal was his 22nd career World Cup goal, officially surpassing Messi’s previous all-time record of 21 goals.Mbappé’s second goal brought Les Bleus back to a narrow 4-3 deficit. However, England quickly re-established their dominance. The unstoppable Bukayo Saka completed a brilliant hat-trick to keep the Three Lions ahead in a chaotic second half.France continued to press, Dembele’s goal reduced the deficit to 5-4 and threatened a dramatic equaliser. But Jude Bellingham, brought on as a late substitute, put the final exclamation point on the game in added minutes. The Real Madrid midfielder produced a spectacular solo run, weaving his way past multiple French defenders before slotting home to seal an incredible 6-4 victory. As England celebrated a thrilling end to their campaign, Mbappé left with a historic milestone wrapped in defeat.