The Most Unexpected Match in World Cup History

Que jogo bonito!

I know this is Saturday, and I am currently in Los Angeles. But I just wrote down a bunch of thoughts about what happened between England and France, and here I am sharing them with you. I apologize to the non-soccer lovers here, but I think even you will enjoy the story of this game.

What in the world would you expect from a third-place match? Both teams entered the arena with devastating memories. The hopes of what could have been are now replaced by many who believe it is a consolation match; an opportunity for young players to get their minutes and fulfill their dreams of playing in the World Cup. Well, the story ends with England defeating France. But the story itself is quite astonishing.

Remember that many had dismissed it as a meaningless match—perhaps even the players themselves.

England made a host of changes to their starting eleven, but when Declan Rice scored the opening goal after only a couple of minutes, everyone sensed that there might be something special about the occasion.

But I doubt the 65,000 present expected England to score four goals in the first half. It was a dominant performance. Tuchel looked proud. It’s as if his deadly move to play defense against the Argentinian superstars was going to be undone in a game of a lifetime.

As the teams headed down the tunnel with England leading 4–0, cries of France’s apocalyptic collapse rang out. The contest appeared to be over. Duchamp’s last game with the French squad would end in tragedy. Even I had 2014 Brazil/Germany vibes.

Then something remarkable happened.

France emerged for the second half transformed. A response had been expected, but they exceeded every expectation. They played with urgency and confidence, gradually putting themselves in a position to complete a legendary comeback from a four-goal deficit—a feat never before achieved in World Cup history (happy to be corrected here). And with tremendous precision, they scored magnificent and well-crafted goals.

England responded by introducing several of their regular starters, including Jude Bellingham. Even so, the momentum remained unmistakably with France. With the score at 4–3, a French equalizer seemed almost inevitable.

Then England won a clear penalty.

Bellingham took hold of the ball, and everyone assumed that England’s brightest star was about to seize the moment and stun the world once again. He stood over the penalty spot with the ball in his hands, but, at the last second, he turned and gave it to Bukayo Saka.

Saka had already scored twice. If he converted the penalty, he would become only the fourth Englishman to score a hat-trick at a World Cup. It was an extraordinary gesture from Bellingham, who surrendered the chance to score in order to place his close friend in English football history.

Saka made no mistake. He calmly dispatched the penalty, completed his hat-trick and restored England’s two-goal advantage: 5–3.

France, however, still had one more gift to offer—the gift of Ousmane Dembélé. The Ballon d’Or winner carried the ball confidently into the penalty area, produced his trademark shift onto his left foot and guided his finish into the same corner he had found so effectively three times against Norway only a couple of weeks earlier.

At 5–4, surely that was the final act.

It was not.

There was still one last piece of magic waiting in Bellingham’s hat. He drove forward with the ball, dribbled past two defenders and, with the composure of England’s greatest goalscorers, placed his shot into the back of the net.

England 6, France 4. This time, the game truly was over.

Kylian Mbappé finished the night as the leading goalscorer in World Cup history—assuming Lionel Messi does not put his cape on again tomorrow—while England departed with their heads held high after a victory filled with courage, generosity and moments of extraordinary individual brilliance.

Undoubtedly, it was one of the finest matches in World Cup history. Que jogo bonito!