Classy Jude Bellingham gives up chance to break England World Cup record – then is rewarded with good karma

JUDE BELLINGHAM showed his humility by seemingly giving up the chance to become an England record-breaker. The Real Madrid star came on as a second-half substitute in the scintillating 6-4 win against France. Jude Bellingham showed his class act in giving the penalty to Saka in one of the best games of the tournament Credit: Getty Saka became only the fourth English player to score a hat-trick at the World Cup Credit: Getty At the time, England led 4-3 before a brilliant run from Djed Spence won a penalty. Bellingham initially took the ball and protected it before handing it to Bukayo Saka. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! The Arsenal man was on a hat-trick, and he made no mistake from the spot to put England 5-3 ahead. If Bellingham had have scored the penalty, he would have become England’s top goalscorer in a single World Cup, with seven. READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP But in the end it didn’t matter as the record was still about to be broken. Saka later admitted Jude told him “go and get the hat-trick.” That goal eased the pressure on England, who had been under siege from the French and looked as though they were on the verge of getting back into the game. Saka became the fourth England player to score a World Cup hat-trick, following in the footsteps of Geoff Hurst, Gary Lineker and Harry Kane. Most read in Sport WORLD CUP 2026 FREE BETS AND SIGN UP OFFERS Bellingham did get his seventh goal of the tournament to make his own history Credit: Getty He also became just the second player to score a World Cup treble against France, the other being Pele. But Bellingham, by far the best England player at this World Cup, showed his class with a solo goal that sealed the game after Ousmane Dembele scored to make it 5-4 and threaten one of the greatest ever comebacks. The former Dortmund star was not to be denied as he cemented his status in the history books with his seventh goal at the tournament. That was the icing on the cake in one of the games of the summer and the highest-scoring tie of the finals. The win means England have finished third, the best position at the World Cup since 1966. That would also ease the pressure on manager Thomas Tuchel who has been slammed by many over his tactics in England’s defeat to Argentina. There will however be questions on why Saka, who got a hat-trick, did not get minutes against Argentina in that painful defeat in Atlanta. Bellingham was by far the best English player at the World Cup Credit: AP Comment now