Northampton-born football star Ivan Toney features as England win World Cup third-place play-off against France

Northampton-born footballer Ivan Toney featured as England secured third place at the World Cup with a 6-4 win over France.

The 30-year-old started against France and played for 79 minutes as England won an eventful game in Miami. Thomas Tuchel’s side had been 4-0 up at half-time, before France reduced the deficit back to 4-3.

A late flurry of further goals by both sides ended up with a 6-4 scoreline, making it the highest scoring match at this World Cup and securing England’s first ever third place victory at the World Cup.

The Three Lions previously lost the bronze medal match in 1990 and 2018, making third place their best performance at a World Cup since winning the tournament on home soil in 1966.

Toney, who now plays in Saudi Arabia for Al-Ahli, made just his second appearance of the tournament for England, having made a late substitute cameo appearance during England’s semi-final defeat by Argentina a few days earlier.

The attacker’s best opportunity saw him denied by French keeper Mike Maignan just after half-time, before the former Peterborough and Brentford striker was replaced by Jude Bellingham, who duly scored England’s sixth goal in the final minute of stoppage time.

The contest brought together the two losing World Cup finalists, with England on the wrong end of a 2-1 loss to Argentina while France had suffered their own 2-0 loss to Spain the night before.

England had taken a 4-0 half-time lead in the contest in Miami, with Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and a brace by Bukayo Saka handing England a substantial lead at the break.

France eroded the gap back to 4-3 through a brace from Kylian Mbappe and a strike by Bradley Barcola, with the French even missing chances to equalise.

But a Saka penalty re-established a 5-3 lead, with the Arsenal winger’s penalty securing his hat-trick. Ousmane Dembele scored a fourth for the French in injury time, but Bellingham’s goal restored a two goal lead for England.