History for Jude Bellingham! England superstar achieves World Cup first as he rises above Harry Kane & Gary Lineker

In what will be remembered as one of the most frantic matches in the tournament's history, Bellingham stood tallest to secure his place in the pantheon of England greats. The 23-year-old midfielder entered the game as a late substitute but made his minutes count, netting a magnificent solo goal in second-half stoppage time to seal a 6-4 victory over Les Bleus.

Bellingham’s path to the record has been clinical, with his seven-goal haul including strikes against Panama and Croatia in the group stages, followed by braces against Mexico and Norway in the knockout rounds. Former England international Danny Murphy was full of praise for the youngster's composure, telling BBC: "He has such confidence in his own ability. The patience, the skill, the shot. What a goal from England's best player."

While Bellingham took the headlines for his milestone, he was heavily supported by a resurgent Bukayo Saka. The Arsenal winger produced a clinical performance, netting his first three goals of the competition to walk away with the match ball.

There was a moment of sporting class between the two young stars late in the game when England were awarded a penalty. Bellingham appeared set to take the kick to move closer to his record, but instead handed the responsibility to Saka. Speaking after the final whistle, Saka clarified the situation: "No, Jude was never taking it. He was the first one to say go and get your hat-trick, so none of them came to distract me. I was always going to take it."

The significance of Bellingham's achievement cannot be overstated, as he has moved past two of the most prolific strikers England has ever produced. Gary Lineker’s six goals in Mexico 1986 had stood as the gold standard for over three decades until captain Harry Kane matched the feat in Russia 2018 and the current tournament.

Bellingham now sits at the top of an elite list that features the likes of Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, and Sir Geoff Hurst. His ability to score from midfield has drawn comparisons to the most complete players in the game's history. With seven goals in a single edition, he has achieved what many legendary forwards failed to do across multiple tournaments.

Most goals by an England player at a single major tournament

• 7 goals – Jude Bellingham (World Cup 2026)
• 6 goals – Harry Kane (World Cup 2026)
• 6 goals – Harry Kane (World Cup 2018)
• 6 goals – Gary Lineker (World Cup 1986)
• 5 goals – Alan Shearer (Euro 1996)
• 4 goals – Harry Kane (Euro 2020), Gary Lineker (World Cup 1990), Wayne Rooney (Euro 2004), Sir Geoff Hurst (World Cup 1966)
• 3 goals – Bukayo Saka (World Cup 2026, World Cup 2022), Marcus Rashford (World Cup 2022), Raheem Sterling (Euro 2020), Harry Kane (Euro 2024), Nat Lofthouse (World Cup 1954), Roger Hunt (World Cup 1966), Sir Bobby Charlton (World Cup 1966), Frank Lampard (Euro 2004), David Platt (World Cup 1990)

The match itself was an anomaly in World Cup history, serving as the highest-scoring third-place play-off ever recorded. While England celebrated Bellingham’s milestone, France saw Kylian Mbappe set his own incredible benchmark. The French captain struck a brace in the defeat to reach 22 tournament goals, eclipsing Lionel Messi to become the World Cup's all-time top scorer – though the Argentine GOAT retains the chance to reclaim the crown in tomorrow's final against Spain.

As England players collected their bronze medals, the focus remained on the generational talent in their midfield. Bellingham’s record is a testament to his rise as the focal point of the national team under Tuchel's leadership. Having surpassed such iconic names at just 23 years of age, the ceiling for what Bellingham can achieve in a Three Lions shirt appears non-existent.