Harry Kane became England’s hero, and he’s matching Kylian Mbappe for World Cup impact

You could hear a pin drop in Atlanta among England fans for 70-plus minutes. Those who thought they would get to stroll into Atlanta, see an easy win over DR Congo, and have a night on the town were slowly transformed into the most anxious fanbase in sports.

An early DR Congo goal in the seventh minute left England stunned, and for an eternity, they just couldn’t find an answer, routinely stymied by a mixture of phenomenal goalkeeping by Lionel Mpasi, and bad luck. Then when everything was at its bleakest, Harry Kane decided to take over. A 75th-minute header leveled the score and brought life back into the England faithful, then just over 10 minutes later he hammered down the nail with a staggering goal.

This is hardly Kane’s first dance with the national team. He’s represented England since 2015 and captained the team in both the 2018 and 2022 World Cup — heck, he won the Golden Boot in 2018, but something feels different this time. Rather than simply being a brilliant finisher and leader-by-default, this iteration of Kane feels more willing (and able) to put the team on his back, especially when the chips are down.

Now at age 32, and with a wealth of experience at every level, Kane is having as big an impact on this World Cup as anyone.

The only other player who could lay claim to that title up front: Kylian Mbappe, who is tied with Kane atop the Golden Boot rankings, and who is having a similar, all-encompassing effect on France where both stars feel emblematic of their teams in ways they haven’t in the past.

For Kane it’s no longer simply a case of saying “England has Harry Kane and …,” but rather “England IS Harry Kane,” the same way other global superstars like Messi, Haaland, Mbappe, and Ronaldo come to typify their teams through their individual brilliance.

It’s only appropriate that, for the most part, Kane remains one of these eternally under-appreciated figures in the sport. Sure, his game isn’t pretty like Mbappe, he’s not lightning quick like Lamine Yamal, have the vision of Lionel Messi, or the imposing size of Erling Haaland — but he’s an effort striker, who always finds himself at the right place at the right time where he can make an impact.

That shined through on Wednesday afternoon when England needed a hero more than ever in this World Cup. Singular brilliance reigned supreme when none of his teammates could find a way to break through, and he saved this tournament for a nation. In doing so he not only continued to cement his place as a superstar, but continued his claim on being the greatest international player England has ever had.

What a game.