England head coach Thomas Tuchel praised captain Harry Kane’s “complete performance” as the Three Lions kicked off their World Cup campaign with a fantastic 4-2 victory over Croatia at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday. That’s right, folks! Kane netted two goals, one of which was a re-taken penalty kick, while Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford also added to the scoreline, giving England a sweet revenge against the same team that knocked them out in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Kane was in superb form, scoring both his goals in the first half, with the second being a powerful header. You should’ve seen it! After Bellingham put England ahead just after halftime, Kane was the first to leap onto his back in celebration. Talk about team spirit! Even in the dying moments of the match, specifically in the 94th minute, Kane showcased his commitment by blocking a close-range shot. “See the commitment of our captain, our No. 9,” exclaimed Tuchel. “Complete performance, absolute leader and he’s all in. He’s all in physically, he’s all in mentally.”
With those two goals, Kane has now reached a total of 10 World Cup goals, tying with Gary Lineker’s record set during the 1986 and 1990 tournaments. Kane, who took home the Golden Boot in 2018 by scoring six times, has now become the first English player to score multiple goals in three different World Cup appearances. Can you believe that? In his 115 international games, he has a whopping 81 goals for the national team, making him England’s all-time leading scorer.
“Obviously, it’s a great milestone to reach, to get 10 goals in a World Cup,” Kane said, reflecting on his achievement. Yahu, he also scored an impressive 59 goals this season for his club, Bayern Munich. “To reach double figures in this amazing tournament is very special. And it’s the first game, I’m feeling good,” he added.
Kane’s first goal in his 12th World Cup game came after Dominik Livakovic saved his initial penalty, which was reviewed by video. The second goal saw him easily beat Livakovic with a stunning header from a corner kick taken by Declan Rice. Kane was practically on his own in the box before making the decisive move. “It was a set piece that we used,” he explained. “Just kind of block the guys in front a little bit and just give me a bit of space.”
Looking ahead, England’s next World Cup match in Group L will be against Ghana on Tuesday, June 23, with kickoff set for 10 PM CET. What an exciting journey it’s shaping up to be for the Three Lions!
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