60 years later, England claim World Cup medals
For the first time since 1966, England have secured World Cup medals. In the third-place playoff, the Three Lions delivered a commanding performance against France, clinching a 6-4 victory.
England opened the scoring with a precise strike from Declan Rice, once again proving his status as a team leader. Before the break, Bukayo Saka (with a brace) and Ezri Konsa extended England's lead.
The French, spearheaded by Mbappé (who also grabbed a brace) and Barcola, reignited the contest, but Saka put the match beyond doubt by completing his hat-trick with a late penalty. In stoppage time, Bellingham and Dembélé added goals to give the scoreline a tennis-like finish – 6-4, a thrilling win for the Three Lions.
The bronze medals mark a historic achievement for England. The last time the national team stood on the World Cup podium was in 1966, when they won their only world title at home. Now, six decades later, England have once again finished the tournament with medals, capping off their World Cup campaign in spectacular fashion.
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
