I had my hero moment today – Harry Kane happy to rescue England with late brace

By Rachel Steinberg, Press Association

Captain Harry Kane accepted he was England’s “hero” after his brace sealed a 2-1 comeback win over the Democratic Republic of Congo to rescue the team from the brink of a humiliating round-of-32 World Cup exit.

Brian Cipenga’s early strike was left unanswered until Kane finally delivered the leveller in the 75th minute and then blasted in a spectacular 86th-minute second to complete the comeback.

And while there was relief for Thomas Tuchel’s side in Atlanta, rescued again by their skipper, there will be plenty of problem-solving to do before they face their toughest test yet, tournament co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca.

“It feels amazing to do this,” Kane told the BBC. “What a crazy game. After that first hydration break I thought we upped the level, we looked good.

“Their keeper made some unbelievable saves in the first half. It was just about pounding the rock, keep pounding the rock, and our moments will come.

“We spoke about people having hero moments. It could be anyone in the team. Whether it’s me, a save from Pickers (Jordan Pickford), a block from the defenders, whoever it is.

“We have hero moments, and for me it was the day.”

Kane’s 12th and 13th World Cup goals moved him ahead of Pele’s dozen in the all-time list.

The Bayern Munich striker is now joint sixth on that table, level with France’s Just Fontaine, and six shy of the tournament’s all-time top goalscorer, Lionel Messi, who has already scored six at the 2026 tournament.

The 32-year-old felt that from an attacking point of view, the ground-out victory was England’s best attacking performance of the tournament, on a standout night for DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.

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Kane once again joined his team-mates, linked shoulder-to-shoulder, to sing Oasis song ‘Wonderwall’ with the England supporters at the Atlanta Stadium, and could be seen kissing the badge on his sleeve afterwards.

He added: “I told the boys to enjoy (the win). Sometimes, as an England player, when you go through tough games like this, and games you’re expected to win, you don’t always celebrate how you should.

“We’re the same as every other nation, we’re through, so enjoy it, you know? We’re in a World Cup, fighting for it all, for every moment, every little margin.

“I want the boys to enjoy it, enjoy it with the fans like we did, and then we go again in four days.”