Gary Lineker Hails Harry Kane as England's Greatest Striker After World Cup Record Achievement

Former England striker Gary Lineker has declared Harry Kane the greatest English striker of all time after Kane equalled his World Cup goals record during England's opening match victory. Kane scored twice in a 4-2 win against Croatia, reaching 10 World Cup goals—a joint-record tally for English players.

Kane Achieves Historic Milestone

Bayern Munich's Kane netted twice in the Dallas fixture, with his opening goal coming from a retaken penalty early in the first half. His second goal, a powerful header three minutes before the break, restored England's lead and marked the moment he equalled Lineker's long-standing record. Kane now holds 81 goals across 115 international appearances, cementing his status as England's all-time leading goalscorer.

Lineker, speaking on his podcast The Rest is Football, expressed genuine admiration for Kane's achievement. "In all seriousness, Harry Kane is, I think, the greatest English striker we've ever had," Lineker said, acknowledging that Kane reached the milestone at his third World Cup tournament—having previously competed in Russia in 2018 and Qatar four years ago. The 65-year-old compiled his own tally between 1986 and 1990 across two World Cup campaigns.

Expert Assessment and Context

Lineker highlighted Kane's all-round play as the distinguishing factor separating him from historical peers. His co-host Alan Shearer, who scored 30 goals for England including two at the 1998 World Cup, predicted Kane would soon break the record entirely. "It's only a matter of time before he breaks your record," Shearer stated, noting that competing strikers including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland had already opened their World Cup accounts with multiple goals.

Beyond the broadcast analysis, Manchester United defender Harry Maguire—excluded from England manager Thomas Tuchel's squad—reinforced the assessment. Maguire described Kane as "one of the best players in the world" and praised his leadership qualities both on and off the pitch. The striker's performance drew celebration from high-profile supporters, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and various celebrities expressing their approval of England's commanding display.