England’s 6–4 victory over France in the 2026 World Cup third-place play-off was already a memorable way to end their campaign. But thanks to Bukayo Saka, it became a historic night for English football.
The Arsenal winger stole the spotlight with a stunning hat-trick, helping England secure their first-ever World Cup bronze medal while becoming only the fourth English player to score three goals in a single World Cup match, following Geoff Hurst (1966), Gary Lineker (1986) and Harry Kane (2018).
Saka’s record-breaking night added another milestone to an already impressive international career. The 24-year-old took his England tally to 17 goals in 56 appearances. He also added a World Cup medal to the two European Championship silver medals he won in 2021 and 2024.
His hat-trick also moved him onto England’s all-time World Cup goal scoring list, with five goals at the tournament — matching the total of 1966 World Cup winner Geoff Hurst. Furthermore, he now sits behind only Jude Bellingham (7), Gary Lineker (10) and captain Harry Kane. Kane leads the way with 14 World Cup goals, including six in the 2026 tournament.
Hurst, Lineker and Kane all produced their World Cup hat-tricks during defining moments of their campaigns. Saka has now joined that group, becoming the fourth Englishman to score a World Cup hat-trick while helping England claim their first-ever bronze medal.
Featured image via the Canary
By Alaa Shamali
