Harry Kane saves England: Declan Rice praises captain's brilliance

In a relentless battle for a place in the World Cup quarter-finals, the England national team secured a hard-fought victory over DR Congo. Scoring a brace and saving his team from an unexpected defeat, Harry Kane once again proved himself to be a world-class striker. This victory opens the way to the tournament's knockout stages for Thomas Tuchel's pupils. Goal.com reports .

After the match, England midfielder Declan Rice spoke highly of his captain's performance. In an interview with BBC Sport, Rice emphasized that having a leader like Harry Kane is a great blessing for the team. According to him, Kane serves as an example to everyone, not only on the pitch but also during training.

"He is simply an unbelievable player. Scoring 72 goals this season is not normal. He is a true leader, works hard in training every day, and has a great relationship with everyone in the group. Did you see his strike for the second goal? He put the ball right into the top corner. We are very lucky to have a player like him," Declan Rice noted.

Historical results and records

According to Opta statistics, Harry Kane achieved one of the rarest feats in world football history with this brace. He became the second player in history to score more than 20 goals in major tournaments (World Cup and European Championship). Currently, only Cristiano Ronaldo (24 goals) is ahead of him in this regard.

Additionally, Kane's efficiency in the knockout stages is astonishing. Since Euro 2020, he has managed to score 10 goals in decisive matches. In this metric, he significantly outperforms stars like Kylian Mbappe (7 goals) and Dani Olmo (3 goals). Kane is currently tied for second place in the tournament's top scorers race with Erling Haaland, both having 5 goals.

The match was not easy for the English. In the 7th minute, Brian Cipenga opened the scoring, putting England in a difficult position. As reported by Goal.com, this was recorded as the first time since the 1966 final that the England national team trailed in a World Cup match and eventually won.

Declan Rice said that confidence in the team never wavered during the game. In his opinion, the team created many chances and maintained pressure on the opponent's goal. Ultimately, Harry Kane decided the fate of the match through his individual skill. Now, a serious test awaits the England national team against Mexico in the quarter-finals.