England kept their FIFA World Cup 2026 hopes alive in dramatic fashion after captain Harry Kane struck twice late on to rescue Thomas Tuchel’s side from a shock exit, sealing a 2-1 victory over DR Congo in their Round of 32 clash in Atlanta, according to the BBC.

Kane delivers when England needed him most

With England trailing and staring at an early elimination, Kane once again proved why he remains one of world football’s most reliable goalscorers. The Bayern Munich striker powered home a header with just 15 minutes remaining before completing the turnaround four minutes from full-time with a clinical right-foot finish from an Anthony Gordon assist, leaving DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi helpless.

The match-winning performance also saw Kane continue his remarkable march through the history books.

The England captain now has five goals at the 2026 World Cup, placing him firmly among the leading contenders for the Golden Boot alongside Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi.

Read also: “Thank you”: Desabre leaves press conference after father’s death is announced

His latest brace also lifted him to 13 World Cup goals, moving him into joint sixth on the all-time World Cup scoring list, overtaking Brazil legend Pelé.

Kane’s international tally now stands at 84 goals for England, drawing him level with Hungarian icon Ferenc Puskás in ninth place on the all-time men’s international goalscoring rankings.

The BBC also noted several other milestones from his performance:

• Kane became the first England player since Gary Lineker against Cameroon in 1990 to score twice in a World Cup knockout match.

• He now has five World Cup knockout-stage goals for England, with only Lineker (six) scoring more.

• Across club and country this season, Kane has produced an extraordinary 72 goals in 62 appearances, including 61 for Bayern Munich and 11 for England.

England manager Thomas Tuchel was full of praise for his captain after the final whistle.

Read also: “The end is near”: Ronaldo and Modrić face one last World Cup duel

“Harry is so, so good. He’s our captain. He’s our leader. He decides football matches with unbelievable finishes and did it here twice. The second one was just a brilliant goal,” Tuchel said.

Kane reflected on fulfilling a lifelong ambition every time he represents his country.

“I remember being a kid and watching England growing up, watching the World Cup and dreaming of being here one day. I try not to forget that when I’m walking onto the pitch,” he said.

England now face Mexico at the Azteca

England’s reward is a daunting Round of 16 meeting with co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Monday, 6 July (01:00 BST).

Read also: Real Madrid could be forced to sell Vinicius Jr as FIVE clubs line up for shock transfer

According to the BBC, the challenge extends far beyond the quality of the opposition. The Azteca sits more than 7,000 feet above sea level, creating one of football’s most demanding environments.

Mexico have built an intimidating record at the stadium, losing just two of their last 89 competitive matches there while recording 70 victories. They are also unbeaten in their last 10 World Cup matches played at the famous venue.

The stadium also holds painful memories for England. Their last World Cup appearance at the Azteca came in the 1986 quarter-finals, where Diego Maradona inspired Argentina to victory with both the infamous “Hand of God” goal and his unforgettable “Goal of the Century.”

After navigating matches in Dallas, Atlanta, Boston and New York, Tuchel’s side must now overcome both Mexico and the challenging altitude if they are to keep their World Cup dream alive.

Read also: Oyarzabal calls for calm: "You are in a somewhat negative wave"

Read also: Thomas Tuchel highlights "impossible" altitude challenge for England against Mexico