International press hails France 4-6 England classic and Kylian Mbappé brilliance | OneFootball

The breathless France 4-6 England third-place match on Saturday captivated the international press. Despite focusing on Sunday’s 21.00 final between Spain and Argentina, Spanish outlets lauded Kylian Mbappé’s brace, which took him to 10 goals at this World Cup.

Marca called the small final unforgettable and suggested Mbappé would take the Golden Boot. AS described a bittersweet feat and an attacking ode. Mundo Deportivo labelled England the queen of chaos and judged the game unworthy of a World Cup aside from the goals, while Sport slated France’s first half before a delirious second.

In Argentina, Olé revelled in a madcap contest, and Italy’s Corriere dello Sport marvelled at the show and fireworks. A Bola in Portugal wrote that England’s verticality ripped through a France defence in identity crisis before Les Bleus rallied. It added that Mbappé, portrayed as predestined, led the response after a brilliant Olise assist, although the Bayern Munich player missed two big chances.

In England, where third place is their best World Cup since 1966, the BBC said a game few wanted to play became one nobody wanted to see end, adding it belonged in the competition’s history. The broadcaster also praised Bukayo Saka as the first player since Pelé to net a World Cup hat-trick against France.

Brazil’s Globo underlined the strangeness of a night in which Saka scored three and said France and England supplied goals and emotion. It added that the French federation will receive two million euros less than its English counterpart for finishing fourth, a significant sum at an American World Cup with heavy costs.

Source: L'Équipe