Jude Bellingham has become the first Englishman to score seven goals in a single World Cup, achieving the milestone with a late strike in England's third-place play-off victory against France. The Real Madrid midfielder's goal in the 6-4 win secured his place in the record books, surpassing the six goals scored by Gary Lineker in Mexico '86 and Harry Kane in both the 2018 and current tournaments.
Bellingham entered the match as a substitute in the 79th minute. He initiated a counter-attack from the halfway line, advanced towards the French box, evaded a defender, and finished with a shot into the bottom corner with the final kick of the game. Former England midfielder Danny Murphy commented on Bellingham's performance, highlighting his confidence, skill, and patience.
With his goal, Bellingham also matched the record for the most goals by an Englishman at a major tournament, a feat previously achieved by Alan Shearer at Euro 2000 and Harry Kane at Euro 2024. Earlier in the match, Bellingham had opted to allow Bukayo Saka to take a penalty, which Saka converted to complete his hat-trick. Saka confirmed after the match that Bellingham had encouraged him to take the penalty, ensuring he was not distracted.