England and France played out a 10-goal thriller in the third-place playoff, with the Three Lions securing the bronze medal; however, it was what Thomas Tuchel’s squad did immediately after securing the victory that has earned them widespread praise.
The Three Lions looked to be cruising to an easy victory in the clash as they led 4-0 at the interval, with Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa getting on the scoresheet before Bukayo Saka added a brace.
However, France would make a game of it in the second half, and within 20 minutes they would score three goals, with Bradley Barcola’s goal being sandwiched between a Kylian Mbappe brace to make it 4-3.
There was still time for three more goals in this match, with Saka completing his hat trick from the penalty spot before Ousmane Dembele made it 5-4; and finally, in the 98th minute, Jude Bellingham would complete the scoring and earn the win for England
As the England players collected their bronze medals, it was clear to see that several players were summoning Jason Steele to receive one of the medals.
The Brighton goalkeeper, 35, has been in the England camp for the entire tournament as the stand-by training stopper, and it appears his impact was truly felt as both Morgan Rogers and Bellingham spearheaded inviting him on stage while Jordan Henderson handed him the
Fans were full of praise on social media for the actions of the England players in this moment, as the joy was evident on Steele’s face.
One wrote: “This is seriously beautiful. Including practice GK, Steel-san properly in the medal ceremony, and everyone calling out “Come on!” together—it really made me feel the team’s bond, and it was the most heartwarming thing. RESPECT!”
Another said: “The scene where everyone calls out to Steele—every time I watch it, tears come out… You can feel that the behind-the-scenes staff and players outside the team are fighting together too; it’s the most beautifully moving sight.”
While a fan got emotional as they stated: “Seeing stuff like this really makes me feel that “team” isn’t just about the players.”
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