Harry Kane is sending out a stark warning to England's World Cup rivals: this is his prime time. The Three Lions captain has burst into top gear after an astonishing season that's seen him net an incredible 72 goals – second only to Lionel Messi's record-breaking 82-goal haul in the magical 2011/12 campaign. And Kane's sights are firmly fixed on the knockout stages, where he'll put his mettle against the mighty Mexico in a last-16 showdown.
The spark that lit the touchpaper for England's progress was Kane's breathtaking late brace against DR Congo, which sealed a hard-fought 2-1 victory and propelled them into the final rounds. His goal-scoring feats have been nothing short of phenomenal, with his 86th-minute strike against DR Congo sending shockwaves around the footballing world.
This is no flash in the pan – Kane has been firing on all cylinders for club and country this season. His incredible form has seen him rack up a staggering 72 goals, a tally that puts him firmly in contention to make history as England's greatest goal-scorer of all time. Speaking candidly about his achievements, Kane declared: "This season for me, 72 goals so far and hopefully a few more to go, is I think almost 20 more than I’ve ever reached in my career to date and I’ve had some pretty good seasons up until now... in terms of how I feel right now, I think just from an overall package, I feel as good as I’ve ever felt going onto the pitch."
Kane's impressive form has been no secret to his teammates. Bayern Munich's Anthony Gordon was effusive in his praise for the England captain: "This season’s only been beaten by Messi and when you actually put it like that, it’s outrageous... What he’s doing this season is something we haven’t seen before, no English player has ever done it. He’s unbelievable, his consistency every day, his ability to get a shot off from any angle is the best I’ve ever seen."
But despite the accolades, Kane remains focused on the task at hand – and that's the crucial last-16 showdown against Mexico. "For me it’s just about the next one," he declared. "I’m in a good space. I just want the next game to be there and it’s kind of a good thing the games are coming thick and fast now," signalled his readiness for the challenge ahead.