2026 World Cup: England Captain Harry Kane Surpasses Brazilian Legend Pele’s 56-Year-Old Record
- England captain Harry Kane has surpassed a record previously held by Brazilian legend Pele
- Kane scored a brace as the Three Lions scored a brace against DR Congo in the Round of 32
- England will face co-hosts Mexico in the Round of 16 on Monday, Jul 6, in their bid to win a second title
England captain Harry Kane broke a record previously held by Brazilian football legend Pele after inspiring the Three Lions to victory over DR Congo in the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Kane starred as England came from behind to defeat the Leopards 2-1 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 1, securing a place in the Round of 16.
DR Congo stunned the Three Lions with an early opener in the seventh minute through Brian Cipenga, who finished clinically after being set up by captain Chancel Mbemba.
Source: Getty Images
England responded in the 75th minute as Kane drew level with a composed header from Anton Gordon, before completing the comeback with four minutes to go, per BBC.
England will now shift their attention to the Round of 16, where they hope to continue their quest for a first World Cup title since 1966.
Kane scores 13th World Cup goal, surpasses Pele
England captain Harry Kane etched his name into FIFA World Cup history by scoring his 13th World Cup goal during the Three Lions' 2-1 victory over DR Congo in the Round of 32.
The strike saw Kane move past Brazilian legend Pelé, who ended his World Cup career with 12 goals across four tournaments between 1958 and 1970.
Pele scored his 12 goals in just 16 World Cup appearances and remains the only player in history to win three World Cup titles, lifting the trophy in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
Kane has now established himself as one of the most prolific goalscorers in World Cup history, adding another milestone to his remarkable international career.
With England still in the tournament, the 32-year-old has the opportunity to extend his tally further and continue climbing the all-time World Cup scoring charts.
He won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup after scoring six goals during England's run to the semi-finals and is now just one goal short of matching that tally in the current tournament.
Kane also made his 15th World Cup start against DR Congo, the most by any outfield player in the history of England.
Source: Getty Images
Meanwhile, Kane admitted that the DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi gave the English side a tough time. He said via ESPN:
"Their keeper made some unbelievable saves in the first half. It was just about pounding the rock, keep pounding the rock, and our moments will come.
"We spoke about people having hero moments. It could be anyone in the team. We have hero moments, and for me it was the day."
Mysterious cat predicts England vs DR Congo
Legit.ng earlier reported that Nimbus Pronos has shared its predicted outcome for the Round of 32 clash between England and DR Congo.
The mysterious cat backs England to prevail over the African side and progress to the next stage, though it did not specify whether in regulation or extra time.
Source: Legit.ng
