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England's Harry Kane reacts after the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L soccer match between England and Croatia at Dallas Stadium. Bradley Collyer/PA Wire/dpa
Gary Lineker celebrated Harry Kane equalling his World Cup goals record for England by branding the Bayern Munich talisman the “greatest English striker we’ve ever had.”
Kane moved level with Lineker on 10 World Cup goals by bagging a brace as England started their group-stage campaign with an impressive 4-2 victory over Croatia near Dallas on Wednesday.
Lineker quipped he reached double figures in two tournaments – 1986 in Mexico and 1990 in Russia – while Kane is into his third World Cup after featuring in 2018 in Russia and 2022 in Qatar.
But the former BBC host was unequivocal about where the England captain and all-time leading goal-scorer ranks among the nation’s frontmen.
“I’m absolutely delighted that Kane equalled my record,” Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast.
“Welcome to the double-figures club. It’s great. I mean, it may have taken him a World Cup more.
“In all seriousness, Harry Kane is, I think, the greatest English striker we’ve ever had. I genuinely think that now.
“His all-round game is, for me, what separates him from all the others.”
Kane making his impact felt straight away comes after Lionel Messi starred in Argentina’s win over Algeria with a hat-trick, while France’s Kylian Mbappé and Norway’s Erling Haaland have also hit the ground running in North America with two goals each.
Lineker’s co-host and former England captain Alan Shearer said: “Harry Kane has seen Messi, Mbappe and Haaland all come on straight away and get the goals.”
Addressing Lineker, Shearer added: “It’s only a matter of time before he breaks your record.”
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, controversially overlooked for a squad place by England head coach Thomas Tuchel, was also full of praise for Kane.
Maguire said: “H is our best player, he’s one of the best players in the world. You can’t speak highly enough of him. On the pitch, he’s unbelievable, but, off the pitch, he’s a massive leader.”
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