Jude Bellingham ran up to the penalty taker’s spot with the ball before Bukayo Saka dispatched the goal for his hat-trick.
England vs. France in the third-place match was a wildly entertaining affair that England won 6-4 in Didier Deschamps’ final match in charge of France.
Jude Bellingham made history as the highest-scoring midfielder in the tournament’s history, but he did it after England received an 87th-minute penalty, with Bellingham holding the ball over the spot until Bukayo Saka came and converted it for his hat-trick.
Why did Jude Bellingham stand over the penalty until Bukayo Saka came?
With Bellingham chasing a World Cup record and Saka chasing his hat-trick, multiple fans thought Bellingham was going to take the kick after holding onto the ball on the penalty spot.
However, he’d leave after Saka reached him, with Saka later revealing that the kick was always meant for Saka, and Bellingham waited with the ball to wish him luck before his hat-trick opportunity.
“No, Jude was never taking it. He was the first one to say, ‘Go and get your hat trick.’ He was just holding the ball for me, so none of them could distract me. I was always taking it.”
Bellingham would secure the record as the highest-scoring midfielder in World Cup history with a 90+8′ goal, which was England’s sixth in the game and sealed their status as Bronze medal winners.
It was an incredible tournament for the Real Madrid man who played a crucial role in leading England to their best World Cup finish since 1966.
While not being able to reach the Final hurt their spirits, Bellingham and Saka put on a show against France to ruin Deschamps’ send-off.
Saka scored a brace before halftime and used the 87th-minute penalty to complete his hat-trick, now ranking only behind Harry Kane, Gary Lineker, and Bellingham among all-time World Cup scorers for England.
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