Hargreaves criticises Rice and Mbappe half-time shirt swap

England closed out their World Cup campaign with a 6-4 win over France in the third-place play-off in Miami, a match lit up by a Bukayo Saka hat-trick but also remembered for a half-time shirt swap between Declan Rice and Kylian Mbappe.

England went in at the break 4-0 up after goals from Rice, Ezri Konsa and two from Saka. As the players headed down the tunnel, Rice was seen carrying a France shirt, while Mbappe — walking alongside his former Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel, now in charge of England — was holding an England top, suggesting the pair had exchanged jerseys early.

Hargreaves unconvinced

The gesture drew a blunt response from former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves, working as a pundit on FOX Sports, who pointed out that such exchanges normally take place after the final whistle. "Weird. Very, very weird," he said of the timing.

England had arrived at the game under scrutiny after a 2-1 semi-final defeat to Argentina, but produced their strongest attacking display of the tournament to establish control before the interval.

France fight back

France responded after the restart and Mbappe scored twice either side of a Bradley Barcola strike to cut the deficit. Saka settled matters with a penalty three minutes from time to complete his hat-trick, before Ousmane Dembele pulled one back in stoppage time and Jude Bellingham restored the two-goal cushion with the tenth goal of the match after a solo run.

• England beat France 6-4 in the World Cup third-place play-off in Miami
• Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick, including a late penalty
• Kylian Mbappe scored twice as France recovered from 4-0 down
• Owen Hargreaves questioned the timing of the Rice-Mbappe shirt swap
• Third place is England's best World Cup finish since 1966

The result gives England their best World Cup placing since lifting the trophy in 1966 and offers some consolation after their semi-final exit. Spain and Argentina meet in the final, with England's next competitive fixtures coming in the Nations League in September ahead of Euro 2028 on home soil.