2026 World Cup: England Captain Harry Kane Breaks Cristiano Ronaldo’s Goalscoring Record
- England forward Harry Kane has surpassed a record previously held by Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo
- Kane scored in the Three Lions' 2-0 win against Panama in their last group stage match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- The Bayern Munich forward scored his 11th World Cup goal to surpass England legend Gary Lineker
England captain Harry Kane has broken records previously held by both Three Lions legend Gary Lineker and Portugal icon Cristiano Ronaldo.
Kane and Jude Bellingham were on target as England defeated Panama 2-0 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, June 28, to secure top spot in Group L.
England created the first major chance after just eight minutes when Marcus Rashford cut onto his right foot and fired towards the near corner, but Orlando Mosquera produced a strong save.
Source: Getty Images
Panama responded in the 26th minute as Jose Luis Rodríguez unleashed a powerful effort that forced Jordan Pickford into action, while Carlos Harvey later swept another shot into the side netting.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 62nd minute when Bellingham rose to meet Bukayo Saka's corner and headed England into the lead.
Five minutes later, Bellingham turned provider, delivering a cross from the left that Kane met with a powerful header beyond Andrés Andrade to score his 82nd international goal, per ESPN.
Kane surpasses Lineker and Ronaldo
The Bayern Munich striker's goal took his overall World Cup tally to 11 goals across the 2018, 2022 and 2026 tournaments.
Kane has now overtaken Gary Lineker, who scored 10 goals, to become England's all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history.
The former Tottenham Hotspur star, who won the Golden Boot with six goals at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, joins David Beckham as one of only two English players to score in three different World Cup tournaments.
The goal also represented another milestone in Kane's remarkable campaign, taking his total for club and country this season to 70 goals.
That figure moves him past Cristiano Ronaldo's previous mark of 69 goals scored in a single season for club and country during his time with Real Madrid and Portugal, per AP News.
Kane reacts to goalscoring record
England captain Harry Kane said he wants to enjoy the moments of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with his teammates.
According to BBC, the former Tottenham Hotspur forward explained that the World Cup remains the biggest football event in the world. He said:
Source: Getty Images
"It is a proud one for sure. I spoke before the tournament about the World Cup being the biggest competition we play as professional footballers, so to get to 11 goals is a proud feeling.
"It is always hard to take in. I just want to enjoy this moment with the team, enjoy being top of the table.
"I never take these moments for granted. Another good milestone to hit, and I hope it is not the last one in this tournament."
Witch doctor sends warning to Kane
Legit.ng earlier reported that Ghanaian witch doctor Nana Kwaku Bonsam said he is working on stopping Kane from having an impact against Ghana but insisted he does not want to cause serious harm to the England striker.
The spiritualist has previously claimed responsibility for Cristiano Ronaldo’s injury ahead of Portugal’s 2014 World Cup meeting with Ghana.
Source: Legit.ng
