The stage was set for drama and Kane delivered – two goals in England's 4-2 win over Croatia sending shockwaves through the World Cup, as Harry Kane matched Gary Lineker's legendary record of 10 World Cup goals. And what a fitting moment it was for the England captain to join an elite club that only three other English players have ever been part of – Lineker, Alan Shearer and Michael Owen.
The Bayern Munich forward is no stranger to big occasions, but his impact on Wednesday night in Dallas was immediate and devastating. Joining Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford on the scoresheet, Kane's double propelled him into the record books alongside Lineker – who achieved his 10 World Cup goals across two tournaments (1986 and 1990) – and Kane took one fewer World Cup appearance to reach the milestone, having featured in 2018, where he won the Golden Boot, and 2022, before this current tournament.
Lineker's delight was palpable as he spoke on The Rest is Football podcast: “I'm absolutely delighted that Kane equalled my record. Welcome to the double-figures club. It’s great. In all seriousness, Harry Kane is, I think, the greatest English striker we’ve ever had. I genuinely think that now.” He further elaborated on his reasoning, stating, “His all-round game is, for me, what separates him from all the others.”
The stakes are high in this World Cup, with global superstars like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland already setting a blistering pace. But Kane's performance has sent out a clear message – he's the man to beat. Even Alan Shearer, co-hosting the podcast with Lineker, predicted that it's only a matter of time before Kane breaks his record: “It’s going to be very hard for him not to break my record.” Manchester United defender Harry Maguire echoed these sentiments, praising Kane as "our best player, he’s one of the best players in the world. You can’t speak highly enough of him. On the pitch, he’s unbelievable, but off the pitch, he’s a massive leader."
Source: The Rest is Football podcast