Big Dan does it again - Dan Burn to bring bronze medal back to Newcastle

Newcastle United defender Dan Burn may have been unable to prevent Argentina sneaking into the World Cup final, but the Blyth-born giant isn't coming home empty-handed.

In what was far and away the best game at this year's World Cup in terms of goals and action, England beat France in the third-place play-off last night.

Big Dan Burn didn't play in last night's game, but he was on the podium after the game, sporting his medal, which he will bring home to show off to the lads at The KNOX. It adds to his fairytale story after swapping trolley pushing in ASDA for lifting a trophy with his boyhood club and scoring against PSG in the Champions League.

England ran away with the game in the first half in Florida last night, going in at the break with a 4-0 cushion thanks to goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and a brace from Bukayo Saka.

What a second half

Whatever Didier Deschamps said to his France side at half-time clearly worked, though, as they came back fighting in the second half, pulling it back to 4-3 via a Kylian Mbappe brace and one from Bradley Barcola.

England looked lost for a while as France dominated. There was a sinking feeling that Deschamps' men were going to achieve the ultimate comeback, but the Three Lions weren't done.

Djed Spence was fouled in the area, and Bukayo Saka stepped up to take the penalty for his hat-trick after Jude Bellingham relinquished control of the ball to the Arsenal winger.

Saka dispatched the 87th-minute penalty with confidence, and that looked to be that ... but that's not how this game rolls.

Ousmane Dembele got another one back for France six minutes into stoppage time, making England's nerves jingle once again, but Jude Bellingham, after giving up the penalty earlier, got his goal anyway with a sublime solo effort.

It took until the penultimate day for the World Cup to get good

That felt like the only time I was genuinely entertained throughout the World Cup. It was a crazy game, and the second half was end-to-end stuff.

Obviously, it begs the question, where was this fight against Argentina? But a third-place play-off doesn't carry the same pressure as a semi-final.

At least England leaves the competition with a positive final memory and a medal apiece.