Read 3 minutesUpdated: June 28, 2026 03:15 PM IST
Harry Kane had a scathing message for Gary Lineker after he overtook the giants as England’s all-time leading World Cup goal-scorer on Sunday. “Sorry Gary, I’m one over you now,” the superstar Bayern Munich forward told reporters.
Kane scored his 11th tournament goal with a superb header from Jude Bellingham’s cross as the Three Lions beat Panama 2-0 at East Rutherford. This was one more than Lineker, who scored 10 goals in two tournaments.
The 65-year-old former England striker won the Golden Boot in Mexico in 1986 with six goals, before scoring four in Italy in 1990.
“I’m sure he’ll send some congratulations and I’ve said before (he’s) one of England’s greatest strikers, especially at the World Cup. It’s a proud moment for me to go ahead of him and I’m sure he’ll be happy for me,” Kane noted solemnly.
Lineker was really happy for Kane. He said on ‘The Rest Is Football’ Netflix talk show: “Thank you so much Harry, congratulations. I mean really I’m thrilled about it.
“Forty years is a long time, and I’m tired of it. I’ve never been happier to be Harry Kane.”
Lineker previously described Kane as “the greatest English striker we’ve ever had” after netting a brace in the team’s opener against Croatia.
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Bellingham, who scored England’s opener against Panama, echoed the sentiment. “It’s an honor to play with him (Kane),” Bellingham said. “He’s the best England player of all time; he’s the one who has shown more than anyone, more than any England player.
“He’s at a level at the moment that’s just unbelievable. You don’t doubt him, because you know he’s going to change the game.”
Manager Thomas Tuchel said, “It’s fantastic that he has the opportunity to break this record at the World Cup. He did it with us. Harry’s mental state, physically, is amazing. He’s hungry to go everywhere in this World Cup. He’s not complacent, it shows his character and his determination.”
Kane is already England’s record goalscorer at international level with 82 goals in 116 appearances. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he won the Golden Boot with six goals in England’s semi-final.
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With his third goal of the 2026 edition, the 32-year-old is in contention to become the first player to win the Golden Boot twice. He is three goals behind Lionel Messi in sixth, while Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele and Vinicius Junior have four each.
Top of Group L, England next face DR Congo in the Round of 32 in Atlanta.