Harry Kane World Cup 2026: Late Brace vs DR Congo, Pelé Record & Golden Boot Race
Harry Kane rescued England with two goals in the final 15 minutes of Match 80 on 1 July 2026 — a 2–1 Round of 16 win over DR Congo at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta. The brace took Kane to five goals at World Cup 2026 and 13 career World Cup goals, surpassing Pelé's tally of 12.
Full match report → England 2–1 DR Congo (M80) · Golden Boot standings · Calendar
What Happened: Kane Saves England in Atlanta
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | 80 — Round of 16 |
| Date | 1 July 2026 |
| Final score | England 2–1 DR Congo |
| Kane goals | 75' (header), 86' (strike) |
| DR Congo goal | Brian Cipenga 7' |
| Venue | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
Brian Cipenga put DR Congo ahead in the seventh minute — beating Jordan Pickford at the near post — and goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi kept England at bay for more than an hour. Thomas Tuchel sent on Anthony Gordon, whose cross Kane headed home for 1–1 in the 75th minute.
Eleven minutes later Kane created space at the edge of the box and rifled England's winner — sparking celebrations on the England bench and ending DR Congo's fairytale run.
Harry Kane World Cup 2026 Stats (After M80)
| Stat | Total |
|---|---|
| Goals at WC 2026 | 5 |
| Career World Cup goals | 13 |
| Goals vs DR Congo (M80) | 2 |
| Group-stage goals (2026) | 3 (brace vs Croatia; goal vs Panama) |
Kane's first goal against DR Congo equalled Pelé on 12 World Cup goals; his second made him England's greatest World Cup scorer by a wide margin and moved him past the Brazil legend in all-time tournament history.
Only Lionel Messi (6 goals) leads the 2026 Golden Boot race ahead of Kane.
Why This Match Dominated Search Trends (1 July 2026)
Fans searched heavily for:
- Harry Kane goals World Cup 2026 — late brace after England trailed
- England vs DR Congo result — comeback win in Atlanta
- Harry Kane Pelé World Cup goals — Kane moved to 13, past Pelé's 12
- Harry Kane Golden Boot — five tournament goals, one behind Messi
- England next match World Cup 2026 — Mexico at the Azteca
Coverage from ESPN, Al Jazeera and The Independent framed the tie as England's narrow escape from a historic upset — with Germany and the Netherlands already out on penalties in the previous round.
England's Path After Kane's Brace
| Round | Match | Date | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 8 | M92 | 5 Jul 2026 | Mexico (Estadio Azteca) |
| Quarter-final | M99 | 11 Jul | TBD |
| Semi-final | M102 | 15 Jul | TBD |
| Final | M104 | 19 Jul | MetLife Stadium |
Mexico beat Ecuador 2–0 on 30 June — England travel to Mexico City for a hostile Round of 8 tie.
See routes to the final and run the 2026 simulator.
Kane vs Messi: Golden Boot Watch
| Player | Nation | WC 2026 goals | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | 6 | Leads after group stage + knockout |
| Harry Kane | England | 5 | Brace vs DR Congo (1 Jul) |
| Kylian Mbappé | France | 4 | Brace vs Sweden (30 Jun) |
| Vinícius Júnior | Brazil | 4 | Through to Round of 8 |
One more deep run could still win Kane the Golden Boot — but Messi remains the man to catch.
FAQ
How many goals has Harry Kane scored at World Cup 2026?
Five — three in the group stage (two vs Croatia, one vs Panama) and two against DR Congo on 1 July 2026.
Did Harry Kane break Pelé's World Cup record?
Kane moved to 13 career World Cup goals, surpassing Pelé's 12 — with his equaliser and winner against DR Congo in Atlanta.
What is England's next World Cup 2026 match?
England vs Mexico in Match 92 on 5 July 2026 at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City — Round of 8.