Harry Kane has officially surpassed Pelé’s record for World Cup goals, thanks to his crucial late double against Congo DR, which secured a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory for England and a place in the round of 16.
As the match approached its conclusion, the Three Lions appeared on the brink of a shocking exit after falling behind to Congo DR’s seventh-minute goal. However, Kane brought much-needed inspiration with an equalizer in the 75th minute.
That strike allowed him to match Pelé’s World Cup goal total of 12, but he quickly became England’s hero by scoring the winner, thus surpassing the Brazilian icon.
Next, England will take on tournament co-hosts Mexico in the round of 16 on July 5 at Estadio Azteca.
“It feels incredible to achieve this,” Kane told the BBC. “What a wild game. After that first hydration break, I thought we really stepped up and looked strong.”
“Their goalkeeper made some fantastic saves in the first half. It was all about keeping at it, persisting, and waiting for our moments.”
“We discussed having hero moments, and that could come from anyone on the team—whether it’s me, a save by Jordan Pickford, or a critical block from our defenders. Today, I guess it was my turn to be that hero.”
England found themselves shocked early when Congo DR broke through their defense in the seventh minute, with Brian Cipenga charging in from the left to score at the near post, beating Pickford.
Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford each came close to equalizing but were thwarted by exceptional goalkeeping from Lionel Mpasi and a critical goal-line clearance from Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
The first half was riddled with errors from Thomas Tuchel’s squad, and Congo DR nearly capitalized again when a powerful shot from Yoane Wissa ricocheted off the post, leaving England to dodge another bullet.
Kane appealed for a penalty after going down in the box, but the referee deemed it a dive, further adding to the mounting frustrations.
However, the Bayern Munich star rescued his team with an impressive 11-minute double, bringing his tournament goal total to five, just one behind Golden Boot leader Lionel Messi, who holds the World Cup record for total goals at 19.
Kane broke Gary Lineker’s record to become England’s all-time top goalscorer in World Cup history during their 2-0 win over Panama on Saturday, adding another accolade to his impressive career.
The legendary Pelé netted 12 goals in just 16 World Cup matches and is the only player to win the World Cup three times—in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
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Kane has scored a remarkable 20 goals in major international tournaments for England and currently holds the record with 84 goals in 117 appearances.
He clinched the Golden Boot in the 2018 World Cup with six goals in England’s run to the semifinals, and he is now just one goal away from equaling that tally.
The England captain made his 15th start against Congo DR, the highest for any outfield player in the England men’s team’s history, bringing his total for club and country this season to 72 goals.
Following the victory, Kane joined his teammates in a shoulder-to-shoulder formation to sing Oasis’ “Wonderwall” with the England fans at the Atlanta Stadium, proudly kissing the badge on his jersey afterward.
“I urged the boys to enjoy [the win]. As an England player, you often go through challenging games like this one. You might not always celebrate as you should,” he reflected.
“We are just like any other nation in this tournament; we have progressed, so let’s savor this moment. We are in a World Cup, fighting for every detail and every moment.
“I want the boys to relish it, celebrate with the fans as we did, and then it’s back to business in four days.”