England’s ruthless first half

England set the tone early and never looked back in the opening 45 minutes. Declan Rice struck in the 3rd minute and then set up Ezri Konsa for 2-0 on 18 minutes. Bukayo Saka took over before the break with goals on 37 minutes and 45+1, with assists from Marcus Rashford and Eberechi Eze. The half-time board read 4-0 to England, and the performance backed it up.

Across the first half, England had 55% possession and out-shot France 11 to 5, with seven efforts on target to France’s two. They created five big chances to France’s one and won 58% of ground duels. Their dribbling was efficient too, completing 67% of take-ons compared to France’s 38%. England also moved the ball better through midfield, completing 272 accurate passes to France’s 216.

France struggled to get touches in the box before the interval, with only two shots inside the area to England’s nine. Crosses favored England as well with a 33% success rate in the half. Even set pieces tilted their way with more corners. The biggest story was England’s composure in decisive zones, turning early control into goals.

France hit back after the break

France changed the picture after half-time with impactful substitutions and sharper final-third play. Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Digne, Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola all entered at the restart and helped flip field position. Kylian Mbappé scored at 48 minutes from a Michael Olise assist, then Barcola made it 4-2 at 54 with Mbappé returning the favor. Mbappé struck again on 66 minutes, again via Olise, and the chase was firmly on.

The shift was driven by France’s second-half numbers. They generated 2.29 xG to England’s 1.65 after the break. France fired 14 shots to England’s eight, putting seven on target compared to four. They also improved ball progression, hitting 7 of 9 long balls accurately and making 23 final-third entries to England’s 13. Their aerial dominance showed, winning 8 of 10 second-half aerial duels.

England still found late answers. Saka completed his hat-trick with a penalty on 87 minutes. Jude Bellingham came on at 79 and added the sixth at 90+8. France kept pushing to the end and got Dembélé’s goal at 90+6 from an Upamecano assist. The second half finished 4-2 to France, but the first-half gap was decisive for England’s 6-4 win.

What the numbers say

Over 90 minutes the match was even in volume and sharp in contrast. Possession ended 54% to 46% for England. Total shots were level at 19 each, with England edging shots on target 11 to 9. Expected goals leaned slightly to England at 3.05 vs 2.80.

France’s chance quality inside the box was clear, with 53 touches in the penalty area compared to England’s 33. They also led final-third entries 46 to 31 and posted an 84% completion rate in the final third. Their long-ball accuracy was strong at 65% versus England’s 43%, a platform for sustained pressure after the break.

England’s edge came in duels and direct play. They won 61% of all duels and a commanding 66% of ground duels, while completing 84% of dribbles to France’s 35%. Interceptions also leaned England’s way at 12 to 8, and they made more tackles overall, 25 to 16. Crosses were another small factor, with England completing 4 of 12 and France 1 of 6.

Goalkeeping nudged the outcome too. Dean Henderson made five saves and posted +0.15 goals prevented for England. Mike Maignan had four saves for France but finished at -1.14 goals prevented. England were also more clinical in the first half, converting early momentum into a 4-0 cushion that no second-half surge could erase.

MVP: Kylian Mbappé’s Sofascore Rating 10

Kylian Mbappé took Player of the Match honors with a perfect Sofascore Rating 10, a rare feat in any high-stakes international. He scored twice, at 48 and 66 minutes, both set up by Michael Olise. He also assisted Bradley Barcola’s goal on 54 minutes, giving him direct involvement in three of France’s four.

The underlying data supports that rating. Mbappé attempted eight shots, putting four on target, and posted 1.39 xG and 1.94 xGOT. He supplied two key passes and created one big chance. His ball-carrying was elite, with 22 carries for 229.7 meters and 132.2 meters of progressive distance, including eight progressive carries.

On the ball he linked play well, completing 28 of 32 passes and hitting 3 of 4 long balls. He drew defensive attention all night, which opened lanes for teammates and helped France generate second-half threat. Even with heavy traffic, he still found separation in the box and forced high-value saves.

The captain also played the full 90 minutes and kept asking questions until the final whistle. France’s overall touches in the area and final-third control mirror his influence. On Sofascore, a 10 is the perfect marker of impact, and Mbappé earned every bit of it here.

Other standout performers

Two England players finished just behind Mbappé on the ratings, and they shaped the result. Bukayo Saka recorded a Sofascore Rating of 9.5 with a hat-trick and three key passes. He scored at 37, 45+1 and 87 minutes, the last from the spot, and added 1.49 xG with four shots on target.

Declan Rice also posted a 9.5 and delivered a captain’s performance. He scored in the 3rd minute, assisted Konsa’s goal on 18 minutes, and led England with 112 touches and 87 accurate passes. He added seven tackles, three interceptions and two key passes, balancing control and disruption in midfield.

Those two headliners matched England’s game plan: fast starts, composure in tight spaces and enough late punch to keep France at arm’s length. As the data on Sofascore shows, England combined duel dominance and dribble efficiency with timely finishing. France owned the box and produced a late charge. England owned the scoreboard.