Jul 02, 2026, 11:33 IST
England captain Harry Kane reignited the FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot race with a sensational late brace against Congo DR, moving level with Erling Haaland in second place and closing the gap on joint leaders Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé.Kane’s two goals inspired England to a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory in the Round of 32, keeping the Three Lions’ World Cup dream alive while throwing the race for the tournament’s top scorer wide open.The England skipper now has five goals in the tournament, just one behind Messi and Mbappé, who sit atop the standings with six each after the France captain struck twice in Les Bleus’ 3-0 win over Sweden.
Kane joins Golden Boot battle in style
Facing a shock exit, England trailed for more than an hour after Congo DR took a seventh-minute lead through Brian Cipenga.Thomas Tuchel’s side struggled to find a breakthrough as goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi denied Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford, while Yoane Wissa struck the post at the other end.Kane eventually sparked England’s revival in the 75th minute before completing the comeback with another clinical finish 11 minutes later.The brace not only sealed England’s place in the Round of 16 but also propelled Kane into the heart of the Golden Boot contest.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot standings
- Kylian Mbappé (France) – 6 goals
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 6 goals
- Harry Kane (England) – 5 goals
- Erling Haaland (Norway) – 5 goals
- Ousmane Dembélé (France) – 4 goals
- Vinícius Júnior (Brazil) – 4 goals
- Ismaila Sarr (Senegal) – 4 goals
Several players remain within touching distance, setting up an intriguing battle as the knockout rounds continue.
- Three goals each: Deniz Undav (Germany), Johan Manzambi (Switzerland), Julian Quinones (Mexico), Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), Brian Brobbery (Netherlands), Folarin Balogun (USA), Matheus Cunha (Brazil), Elijah Just (New Zealand), Yoane Wissa (Cabo Verde), Jonathan David (Canada), Ismail Saibari (Morocco) and Kai Havertz (Germany)
Another historic milestone for England captain
Kane’s heroics also saw him surpass Brazilian legend Pelé on the all-time World Cup scoring list.His first goal drew him level with Pelé on 12 World Cup goals before his winner moved him onto 13, further cementing his place among the competition’s greatest scorers.The England captain had already overtaken Gary Lineker as his country’s leading men’s World Cup scorer earlier in the tournament and now boasts 20 goals in major international competitions alongside 84 goals in 118 appearances for England.England had not won a men’s World Cup match after conceding first since defeating Germany in the 1966 World Cup final, highlighting the significance of Kane’s comeback performance.With Messi and Mbappé leading on six goals and Kane and Haaland breathing down their necks on five, the race for the tournament’s top scorer promises to be one of the defining storylines of the knockout stage.England will next face co-hosts Mexico in the Round of 16, where Kane will have another opportunity to continue both his remarkable scoring run and his pursuit of the Golden Boot.
