World Cup Nights: England-France 6-4, a bronze goal-fest. Spain-Argentina, the final, tonight

A record night in Miami: in the third-place game England overwhelmed France 6-4 — ten goals, more than any consolation final in World Cup history. Four up at the break thanks to a Saka hat-trick, they held off a Bleus rally inspired by a Mbappe brace that secures the Golden Boot. It is England's best World Cup since 1966. Tonight at 9pm (Italian time), the grand finale: Spain-Argentina for the trophy.

At Miami's Hard Rock Stadium the third-place game turned into a shooting gallery: England 6-4 France, ten goals in a single match, an all-time record for a World Cup consolation final. The Three Lions all but settled it in the first half. Declan Rice struck as early as the 3rd minute after pouncing on a Doue giveaway, Ezri Konsa headed home a corner on 18', and then Bukayo Saka took over, scoring on 37' and 45'+1 for a stunning 4-0 at the interval. Deschamps overhauled France after the break and Les Bleus came back transformed: Kylian Mbappe made it 4-1 on 48' and 4-3 on 66', with Bradley Barcola's strike in between. Just as the comeback looked on, Saka snuffed it out again, converting an 87th-minute penalty for 5-3 and his hat-trick. Ousmane Dembele pulled one back in stoppage time (90'+6), but in a breathless finale it was Jude Bellingham who sealed it on 90'+8 for the final 6-4.

A night that rewrote the record books. The ten combined goals are the most ever seen in a World Cup third-place game, and bronze is England's best finish since their home triumph in 1966. Saka becomes only the fourth Englishman to score a World Cup hat-trick, after Geoff Hurst (1966 final), Gary Lineker (1986) and Harry Kane (2018) — and he did it in a match Kane sat out. For France, Mbappe's double carries a double weight: it takes him to 10 goals at this World Cup, top of the Golden Boot race, and, above all, to 21 career World Cup goals — a new all-time record at just 27. Michael Olise, with two assists on the night, finished on seven for the tournament: no one has ever provided more in a single edition. Bittersweet, meanwhile, was Didier Deschamps' final game in charge: 14 years, one World Cup (2018) and three finals, with the baton now passing to Zinedine Zidane.

And so we reach the last act. The Miami defeat still leaves Mbappe atop the scoring chart (10 goals), but Lionel Messi — stuck on 8 — has ninety minutes left to catch him: the Argentine would need a brace tonight just to reopen the Golden Boot race. One more reason, if any were needed, not to miss the final. FIFA has confirmed Slovenia's Slavko Vincic as referee for the showpiece, while — Al Jazeera reports — half of Latin America is openly rooting against the Albiceleste.

Tonight at 9pm Italian time, at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, Spain and Argentina play for the Cup. On one side, the reigning world champions, chasing a back-to-back managed so far only by Italy and Brazil and, potentially, a fourth straight major trophy across Copa America and World Cups: Scaloni's side have scored a tournament-high 19 goals and have trailed or been level after 90 minutes in all four knockout games — winning every one. On the other, the European champions, hunting a second world title after 2010, who smothered France in the semifinal, conceding a mere 0.3 xG: up front is 19-year-old Lamine Yamal, with Nico Williams, Oyarzabal and Rodri completing the orchestra. Opta's supercomputer favours Spain, but the generational duel between Messi and Lamine Yamal promises fireworks.

It is the World Cup's final night. The trophy is decided tonight: see you in the morning to tell you who lifted it — and to close this column, together.

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