Harry Kane continues to cement his legacy as one of England’s greatest-ever footballers. The England captain matched Gary Lineker’s long-standing record of six FIFA World Cup knockout stage goals after scoring in the Three Lions’ dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico in the Round of 16.
With the crucial penalty against the tournament co-hosts, Kane joined Lineker at the top of England’s all-time World Cup knockout scoring charts. Having already broken several national scoring records during his career, the Bayern Munich striker is now just one knockout goal away from owning yet another historic England milestone outright.
Kane Reaches Another Historic Landmark
Most World Cup Knockout Goals for England:
Gary Lineker – 6
Harry Kane – 6
Kane has consistently delivered when the stakes are highest. From his Golden Boot-winning campaign in 2018 to another prolific World Cup in 2026, the England captain has become one of international football's most reliable big-game performers. With England still alive in the tournament, the 32-year-old now has the perfect opportunity to surpass Lineker and create another piece of history.
England Show Character Against Mexico
England's victory over Mexico was far from straightforward. Playing in front of a hostile home crowd at the Estadio Azteca, Thomas Tuchel's side survived one of their toughest tests of the tournament to book a place in the quarter-finals.
Jude Bellingham stole the early headlines with two brilliant goals in just 98 seconds to put England firmly in control. Mexico fought back through Julián Quiñones before England suffered another major setback when Jarell Quansah was sent off early in the second half following a VAR review.
Reduced to 10 men, England refused to panic. Anthony Gordon won a crucial penalty that Kane calmly converted to restore a two-goal cushion. Although Raúl Jiménez later scored from the penalty spot after Kane conceded a foul, England defended brilliantly throughout the closing stages, with Jordan Pickford producing important saves and the backline standing firm under relentless pressure.
Norway Await in Mouthwatering Quarter-Final
England's reward is a blockbuster quarter-final against Norway, who produced arguably the biggest shock of the tournament by eliminating Brazil.
Erling Haaland delivered another world-class performance, scoring twice to inspire Norway to a famous victory and send the Scandinavian nation into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.
The upcoming showdown will feature two of the world's most prolific strikers in Kane and Haaland. While Kane chases another England scoring record, Haaland will look to continue Norway's remarkable fairytale run, setting the stage for one of the most anticipated quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
