When England performed like World Cup winners, it was after they had already lost the tournament. In a bewildering and chaotic contest, they settled for bronze instead of gold. England played remarkably for the first 45 minutes, only to show vulnerability during the second half. By the conclusion of the match, Bukayo Saka had become the fourth Englishman to net a World Cup hat-trick, joining the ranks of Geoff Hurst, Gary Lineker, and Harry Kane. Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham contributed to the historic feat, making England the first team to score six goals against France in World Cup history. However, despite the impressive result, there lingers a sense of regret over during their inconsistent performances—where was this England against Argentina? Or against Norway, DR Congo, Panama, and Ghana?

A vibrant and dynamic performance indicated that such talent could be part of England’s DNA, despite what Thomas Tuchel might argue. The manager struggled to move past the semi-final defeat while facing boos from England supporters. Yet, his side, initially defensive for most of their 36 minutes against Argentina, surged ahead with a 4-0 lead against France after 45 minutes, despite a weakened and seemingly disorganized opposition. Tuchel, who had previously adopted a conservative strategy, tactfully avoided switching to a back five this time.

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Despite both teams making seven changes, England’s performance underscored their squad depth. The disappointment was further compounded by the fact that some key players who excelled against France did not have a comparable impact against Argentina. Saka, for instance, was overlooked during a conservative approach, showing instead what could have been possible. Marcus Rashford, only introduced late in the previous match, also showed how much more edge they could have found.

Tuchel’s emphatic response to the earlier disappointment was echoed when his assistant, Anthony Barry, remarked that England played “with broken hearts.” However, the endorsement of Tuchel also hinted at the challenges ahead. Ironically, the scorer of England’s second goal, Ezri Konsa, had witnessed a previous substitution decision backfire against Argentina. This time, he contributed positively, moving forward to score from a corner.

Tuchel had reasons to show some sympathy for Declan Rice, who displayed quality absent due to injury and illness in recent matches. Rice stood out, scoring the first goal and assisting the second, a significant contribution representing Arsenal.

Rice captained the side, resting Kane due to concerns about fatigue. Meanwhile, Saka and Rashford, who had fresher legs, took early responsibility. The surprise inclusion of Ivan Toney, who had previously played limited minutes, marked a shift in strategy. Kobbie Mainoo’s World Cup ended prematurely due to injury without any playtime, while Morgan Rogers took the field, despite Chelsea preparing a hefty £117m for him, though the performance highlighted his underwhelming value compared to Saka or Rice.

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England got off to an impressive start when Rice intercepted a pass from Desire Doue and surged forward to deliver a shot from 25 yards, beating goalkeeper Mike Maignan. His corner set up Konsa for the second goal with a well-placed header.

Saka then took the spotlight. Alongside Rashford, they orchestrated a thrilling counter-attack. After Saka had an effort cleared off the line, Rashford set him up for the third goal. Saka added a fourth with a shot from a well-placed pass by Eberechi Eze. His hat-trick was secured from the penalty spot after Djed Spence was fouled in the box. England still required Bellingham, who came off the bench to score after a solo run, to finalize their victory.

However, the match was marked by a notable French comeback. Following a quadruple substitution by Didier Deschamps, France scored four goals, buoyed by the record-breaking performance of Kylian Mbappe.

Mbappe scored a brace, elevating himself to the status of the World Cup’s top scorer with 22 goals, surpassing Lionel Messi’s tally of 21. He became the first player to score ten goals in a single World Cup since Gerd Muller. Bradley Barcola, one of those introduced, found the net with an assist from Mbappe. Michael Olise, who nearly equalized, assisted both of Mbappe’s goals, bringing his assist total to seven in the tournament, another record. Ousmane Dembele, also substituted, made it 5-4 before Bellingham scored again.

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This match was historic not only for the scoreline but also for other significant milestones. It marked Deschamps’ last match, overseeing 187 games for France, including his playing career. Although the comeback mirrored France’s previous response in the 2022 final, the defeat was not the farewell Deschamps may have deserved.

Tuchel, aiming to continue his reign, can claim this is England’s most successful World Cup campaign since 1966, with six victories and a third-place playoff win, contrasting sharply with their performances in 1990 or 2018. Yet this achievement underscores what could have been for the team.