Of course. They sang “Wonderwall” along with the fans. But not for long—just a few moments. Because while the 2-1 victory over DR Congo in the Round of 32 was absolutely dramatic, superstar striker Harry Kane’s team wants more. They’re after the title, 60 years after 1966, England’s only World Cup victory to date.
Perhaps Wednesday’s match in Atlanta was a pivotal game on the road to a second title. England trailed 0–1 early on. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, in particular, but also right back Djed Spence, didn’t look good during that stretch. In the end, captain Kane struck twice to make it 2–1. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, once a striker and an extraordinary player in his own right, said as a Fox analyst: “Argentina has Messi, France has Mbappé, and England has Sir Harry.”
Ibrahimovic praises Kane
The 32-year-old will likely be knighted at some point; in sports, he’s been well on his way to that honor for a long time anyway. England definitely has its top star to thank for advancing to the Round of 16, where they’ll face co-host Mexico in Mexico City on Monday morning. At the former Aztec Stadium, the Three Lions will once again rely on Kane—and will likely be able to count on him, according to Ibrahimovic. It’s perfectly fine that almost everything for England hinges on Kane: “Every team needs a player like that, one you can rely on. A player you know will win the game for you.”
That’s how it was in Atlanta, where Kane and his teammates fought back from a deficit. A sensation was in the air. But England had Kane, after all. Even though he emphasized afterward that he was “proud of the boys”—that is, his teammates, all of whom are far less experienced than the captain, who is making his third World Cup appearance. And: He tries to “always be the best version of myself.” And: Those who keep trying will have their “hero moments.” “Fortunately, that was the case for me today.”
He then immediately drew a connection to the past, though not quite all the way back to 1966. He said he himself had once been “a kid who watched the World Cup and dreamed of being here one day.” That’s also why he always tries to “be a role model, to give my best for the country.” And to help his team “improve”—not just on the field, but also “behind the scenes, at home, and in training.”
Underdog DR Congo had defended selflessly in Atlanta, repeatedly launching dangerous counterattacks—and had its very own “Wonderwall” in the form of the magnificent goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi. The Le Havre goalkeeper stopped everything right up until the final minutes and was also lucky that his challenge on Kane just before halftime wasn’t penalized with a penalty kick.
Kane, the game-changer, said afterward: “It feels great; it was a crazy game. Their goalkeeper made some incredible saves, but you just have to keep trying.”
Indeed: Just as things were looking increasingly dire for the favorites, the Bayern star struck after all—with a header and a thunderous right-footed shot. And the Bundesliga’s top scorer and Golden Boot winner thus confirmed his reputation as a wonder striker.
He now has five goals in this tournament; thanks to his two-goal performance, he overtook Pelé on the all-time World Cup scoring list and now has 13 goals—just one fewer than Gerd Müller—with the Brazilian Ronaldo’s 15 and Miroslav Klose’s 16 also within reach. Kane, too, senses the weight of history: “I’m not really focused on that right now. But when you look at it historically, I have to say: I’m very grateful for that, without a doubt.”
Kane Expects a Tough Match in Mexico City
They sang a little song right after the final whistle. But otherwise, the English players remained composed. Hours later, they all walked quietly through the bowels of the stadium, many with their heads bowed. Perhaps pondering what needs to improve in the four remaining games at most? Take, for example, offensive firepower beyond Kane. Or were they still reeling from how precariously their advancement against the underdog hung by a thread?
But the calm after the storm also shows that the switch has already been flipped—the focus is already on the match against Mexico. Kane: “It’ll be a tough match, but if you want to become world champions, you have to get through tough games like this.”
Later, he politely thanked everyone for their congratulations of various kinds: “I appreciate that.” What he’s sure to appreciate even more: a victory in Mexico against Mexico. Through his own goals and those of his “boys.” Then he was gone. Off to Mexico. But not the “Last Exit.” That’s not scheduled until July 19 in New Jersey.
