England captain Harry Kane proved yet again that he is a man made for the big stage after scoring both of his team’s goals in the 2-1 win over DR Congo in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match on Wednesday. With the twin strikes, Kane took his World Cup goalscoring tally to 13, going past Brazil legend Pelé in the list of top-scoring players in the competition. Kane’s heroics against Congo also earned him comparisons with the modern game’s icons like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but the Bayern Munich man chose to remain grounded.
Speaking to the media in the mixed zone after sealing his team’s qualification into the Round of 16, Kane was informed how his England teammate Anthony Gordon had compared him with Messi and Ronaldo after his twin strikes bailed out the team. Kane called the former Barcelona and Real Madrid legends the ‘pinnacle’, while admitting that he is doing everything he can to prolong his career.
‘That’s why you do all the work behind the scenes. The things that you guys don’t see when we are in training, when we are at home doing recovery, doing ice baths, doing treatment – all the little details that make you be consistently at the highest level for as long as possible,’ Kane told reporters after the match.
‘And you know, those guys, like Messi and Ronaldo, they’re at the pinnacle of that. So yeah, I’m feeling as well as I’ve ever felt, and ultimately, when I got onto the pitch, I know all the work I’ve done behind the scenes will make me ready for big moments. And that’s exactly what happened out there today,’ he added.
“LOS DETALLES TE HACEN MANTENERTE EN EL NIVEL MAS ALTO. MESSI Y RONALDO SON LA CUMBRE DE ESO”
Harry Kane confeso que se siente en un nivel muy bueno debido a todo el trabajo que hace en el dia a dia y halago a los capitanes de Argentina y Portugal.#MundialEnDSPORTS |… pic.twitter.com/xLBvLyfimp
— DSPORTS (@DSports) July 1, 2026
Harry Kane’s Hero Moment For England
Kane also labelled his performance for England as ‘one of his favourites’ in the Three Lions shirt. His second goal of the game was especially exquisite, as he dazzled past several defenders before launching a rocketing strike into the top-right corner.
‘As soon as he hit it [referring to himself], I knew it was going in. I was already celebrating. I try to be the best version of myself. Leading by example is one of my biggest traits and one of the biggest mottos I try to live by,’ Kane stressed after a masterclass in clinical finishing, in which he found the net twice from just three attempts on target.
‘It was a crazy game, first and foremost playing against a tough team, a well-organised team. The keeper made some unbelievable saves in the first half; it was just about pounding the rock. Keep pounding the rock. Our moment would come.
‘We spoke about people having hero moments – it could be anyone. It could be me, it could be a save from Pickers, a block from the defenders; whoever it is, we have hero moments. For me, it was today.
‘What a crazy game. To come back in the way we did is just extremely pleasing and makes me proud of the group, proud of the boys. It was a tough game and for me, personally, one of my favourites in an England shirt now; to get a couple of goals and help the team over the line is obviously a magical, magical feeling,’ the striker added.