Harry Kane has added another major milestone to his England career, becoming his country’s all-time leading World Cup scorer after the 2-0 win against Panama. The captain’s headed goal from Jude Bellingham’s cross pushed him past Gary Lineker and gave England more control in the match.
The strike took Kane’s World Cup total to 11, moving him clear of Lineker’s 10. It also underlined how quickly his tournament record keeps growing, with three goals already at this World Cup and a place secured for England in the last 32.
A record built across three tournaments
Kane’s latest goal is part of a run that now stretches across Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 and North America 2026. He became only the second England men’s player to score at three different World Cups, joining former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham.
He opened this tournament with two goals in England’s 4-2 win against Croatia, and his form has put him into rare company again. Kane also won the Golden Boot in Russia with six goals before adding two more in Qatar.
| Player | World Cup Goals | Notable Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Kane | 11 | England’s all-time leading World Cup scorer |
| Gary Lineker | 10 | Former record holder |
What Kane said after the match
Speaking to BBC Sport, Kane said the milestone meant a great deal to him. “It is a proud one for sure,” he said, adding that reaching 11 World Cup goals was “a proud feeling.”
He also said he wanted to enjoy the moment with the team and not take the achievement for granted. Kane called it “another good milestone to hit” and said he hoped it would not be the last one in the tournament.
Lineker, who scored six times at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and four times in Italy four years later, has recently said Kane is “the greatest English striker we’ve ever had”. That praise now sits alongside the record Kane has just broken on the World Cup stage.
England’s progress remains the immediate backdrop to the milestone, with Kane’s three goals helping drive the team into the knockout phase. For a striker who keeps finding new marks to pass, the bigger story is that the tournament is still not over.