Yes, Britain has problems. They have left you in trouble and are struggling to find a right-back. But one problem they don’t have is having world-class winners on their team.
Where would England be without Harry Kane? England have fallen behind time and time again in big games. This was the sixth straight knockout match in a major tournament in which the Three Lions gave up the first goal. Time and time they look for heroes.
After a poor Euro 2024 in which he was clearly hampered by a back injury, Kane is king again. God, please save him.
Kane was not alone in saving England against DR Congo. Anthony Gordon picked up two assists off the bench, Jude Bellingham’s runs kept the attacking machine alive and Declan Rice’s right-back cameo provided the moment.
But with his second goal hitting the roof of the net from high inside the box, a goal that captivated the nation and much to goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi’s surprise, Kane confirmed he had something no one else in the team could do.
Win the match. Win the game.
Kane’s winner was a sight to behold
“That’s what we expect from him!” Thomas Tuchel said. “That’s what he expects of himself.
“A difficult game, a close game – Harry is here to make the decision. He is at the highest level.”
It was Kane’s 13th World Cup goal, taking him past Pele on the all-time charts. Kane is England’s Pele. He is the best player of all time.
And joining him in the race for the World Cup Golden Boot are some of the best players in the history of world football.
Lionel Messi. Erling Holland. Kylian Mbappe. Ousmane Dembele. Vinicius Jr. All of them are worthy of the Ballon d’Or. Now Kane has joined the conversation.
With his two goals against Congo, he has scored five goals in this World Cup. In a phenomenal season, he scored 72 goals for both club and country.
But this was a very different game that Kane was not used to. Kane, who is usually heavily involved in the game as a player who likes to drop into the deep end, was anonymous for much of this game.
In the first 35 minutes of the game, he touched the ball only 5 times. His first shot came 34 minutes later, and he had just two shots on goal before hitting the game-winning double.
Despite this, he still delivered that magical moment. Even in the first half when England was struggling, he rushed in to score a penalty kick on behalf of England. It must have been given on a different day.
It’s very Haaland, with very few touches but still delivering. How many times has the Manchester City and Norway striker been barely involved and still got over the line? The number of times is unknown. But the most recent was this week against Norway against Ivory Coast.
The difference is that while Haaland is in the prime of his career, Kane is showing that he is still performing at that level at 33 years old.
And despite all the games and goals, he looks the freshest he’s ever been in his career. He is a player who can go right to the end. “I feel as good as I’ve ever felt,” Kane said.
This is a special player who defined an entire generation in England. How many times in your life has Kane been in charge of special moments for England?
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See how fans in Manchester, Brighton and London celebrated Harry Kane’s win for England against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gary Neville said: “If you’re talking about the greatest players in England’s history, Bobby Charlton and a few others are up there.”
“As a striker, it’s 100%. He’s better than unbelievable players like Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker and Jimmy Greaves. He’s the best.”
Only a golden summer of World Cup glory can bring Kane the Ballon d’Or, but if the captain is available, England have every chance.
“It’s a truly believing experience,” added Tuchel after beating Congo. The England manager was talking about his team getting over the line. But really, he should be talking about Kane.
He holds the key to World Cup glory. Given that Mexico will cause further unrest at the altitude of the Azteca, the England men will again turn to Kane.
