England players ensured reserve goalkeeper Jason Steele received a World Cup bronze medal after their thrilling 6-4 victory over France in the third-place match on Saturday, despite Steele not being named in the official 26-man squad.
Match Recap: England's High-Scoring Victory
Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute, followed by Ezri Konsa doubling the lead in the 18th minute. Bukayo Saka struck twice before half-time to put England 4-0 up. However, a second-half fightback from France saw Kylian Mbappe score twice and Bradley Barcola add another, cutting the deficit to 4-3. Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot before Ousmane Dembele scored in injury time to make it 5-4. Jude Bellingham, who started on the bench, sealed the 6-4 win with a brilliant individual effort.
Medal Ceremony Gesture
During the medal ceremony, England players collected their medals but before posing for the team photograph, captain Harry Kane and Jordan Henderson called over Jason Steele to ensure he also received a medal. Steele, 35, travelled with the team as a reserve goalkeeper and participated in training despite not being in the squad.
Tuchel's Praise for Steele
Manager Thomas Tuchel had previously praised Steele when unveiling the squad in May: 'We chose three goalkeepers plus Jason Steele. I want to take the opportunity to thank Jason for being brilliant and thank Brighton for being so co-operative and supportive.'
The gesture highlighted the squad harmony under Tuchel, as England secured their first World Cup bronze medal since 1990.
