Harry Kane becomes England's all-time World Cup top scorer and closes in on Pele's record

England captain Harry Kane has secured a firm place in history as the player who has scored the most goals for his country in World Cup history. The goal scored in the match against Panama not only ensured his team's 2-0 victory but also served to break the record of the legendary Gary Lineker. This success signals the beginning of a new era for English football. This is reported by Goal.com news reports.

In the decisive moments of the match, Harry Kane headed a precise pass from Jude Bellingham into the goal. This was the striker's eleventh goal in World Cups. Thus, he managed to surpass the legendary Gary Lineker, who scored a total of 10 goals in the 1986 and 1990 tournaments. According to Goal.com, the Bayern Munich striker is now aiming for global records.

In an interview after the game, Kane did not hide that he was extremely proud of this result. "The World Cup is the biggest tournament in a professional footballer's career. Scoring 11 goals here is a great honor for me. I want to enjoy these moments with my team and reach new milestones during the tournament," the England captain told BBC Sport.

Chasing Pele and other legends

Harry Kane has now turned his attention to the results of world football legends. His next target is the Brazilian legend Pele. Pele has 12 goals scored in World Cups. Notably, while Kane scored his 11 goals in 16 matches, Pele recorded his result in exactly the same number of games. This indicates the high efficiency of the English striker.

In the overall rankings, Kane has already surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo (10 goals). Currently, he trails stars such as Lionel Messi (18 goals), Miroslav Klose (16 goals), Kylian Mbappe (16 goals), and the Brazilian Ronaldo (15 goals). If Kane maintains his current form, he has the opportunity to enter the top five all-time scorers by the end of the 2026 World Cup.

This historic result was a kind of response for Kane. This is because the striker had come under criticism after a goalless draw with Ghana. In that match, he touched the ball only 19 times, playing one of his weakest games. However, national team head coach Thomas Tuchel defended his pupil, stating that it is natural to place responsibility on world-class stars.

According to Tuchel, just as Argentina relies on the services of Lionel Messi or France on Kylian Mbappe, England relies on the skill of Harry Kane. The coach specifically noted that players like Kane can decide the fate of a game in any situation and that the trust in them is fully justified. Currently, the England national team continues to lead its group.