Lineker hails Kane as England's greatest ever striker after World Cup record equalled

Harry Kane drew level with Gary Lineker’s record of 10 England World Cup goals on Wednesday, scoring twice as England opened their Group L campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas — and Lineker wasted no time in honouring the milestone.

“Harry Kane is, I think, the greatest English striker we’ve ever had. I genuinely think that now,” Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast. “His all-round game is, for me, what separates him from all the others.”

The Bayern Munich striker’s brace was part of a commanding England performance, with Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford also getting on the scoresheet. Kane’s double moved him alongside Lineker, who reached double figures across the 1986 and 1990 World Cups. Kane, by contrast, needed three tournaments to match the tally — having featured in Russia 2018, where he won the Golden Boot, and Qatar 2022 before this summer’s edition in North America.

Lineker was characteristically self-deprecating about the comparison. “Welcome to the double-figures club. It’s great. I mean, it may have taken him a World Cup more,” he said, before turning serious in his praise.

Lineker’s co-host and fellow former England captain Alan Shearer suggested the record’s days are numbered. “It’s only a matter of time before he breaks your record,” Shearer told Lineker, noting that Kane had watched Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland all hit the ground running in North America before responding with a brace of his own.

Messi had starred in Argentina’s win over Algeria with a hat-trick, while Mbappé and Haaland had each scored twice in their respective openers. Shearer observed: “Harry Kane has seen Messi, Mbappe and Haaland all come on straight away and get the goals.”

Harry Maguire, left out of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad in a decision that drew widespread debate, also offered his assessment of the captain. “H is our best player, he’s one of the best players in the world,” the Manchester United defender said. “On the pitch, he’s unbelievable, but off the pitch, he’s a massive leader.”