England surprisingly avoided a hammering from international media after scraping past DR Congo. The Three Lions were heading for one of their worst-ever results at the World Cup when they trailed to Brian Cipenga’s seventh-minute opener.
But Harry Kane, once again, stepped up when his country needed him the most to score twice in 11 minutes and send them through to a last-16 tie against Mexico in Mexico City. Needless to say, the world media were not impressed by Thomas Tuchel’s side.
However, rather than lay into what was largely a woeful performance, outlets around the world preferred to focus on Kane’s brilliance and England’s reliance on him.
Spanish title El Mundo said: “The striker demonstrated once again why he is their star player, the only one capable of maintaining the necessary composure to prevent Congo from making them look ridiculous, orchestrating an epic comeback in the final stages of the match.”
Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now!
French title L’Equipe said the match brought back memories of England’s “grotesque” defeat to Iceland at Euro 2016, saying: “The English fans felt a deep anxiety, which they had probably not felt for 10 years and the grotesque elimination conceded by the Three Lions against Iceland (1-2) in the round of 16 of Euro 2016. The spectre of a similar fiasco loomed large in Atlanta.”
It added: “Kane confirmed his status as the absolute saviour of a team that will once again rely on him.”
Australia’s Fox Sports, reporting from a London pub, highlighted the influence of the much-maligned Anthony Gordon, who assisted both of Kane’s goals: “With substitute Anthony Gordon proving lively, much to the surprise of the fans at the pub who had been slagging him off when he was introduced into the game early in the second half, the star striker delivered in style.
“The skipper had emerged as a Messiah in the nick of time, saving a nation from going into early mourning.”
Germany’s De Welt branded him “King Kane” and wrote: “Thanks to their star striker Harry Kane, Thomas Tuchel’s team avoided an embarrassing defeat.”
Staying in Germany, Jurgen Klopp called it the “perfect World Cup match,” though England fans won’t agree. Speaking on Magenta TV, the former Liverpool boss said: “Wonderful football and a wonderful example of a perfect World Cup match.
“You have the clear underdog who surprised everyone with a courageous performance, with a daring display. Courageous, cheeky, it had everything.
“They scored the goal, defended superbly. And then, in the end, the clear favourite prevailed, thanks to a player who is almost indescribable.”
Klopp compared Kane’s influence on the England team to that of Lionel Messi on Argentina. He added: “I’ve truly never seen the kind of impact Harry Kane has. When Harry Kane isn’t working, and that was the case for the first 30 minutes, then England isn’t working either.
“The moment he found his old form in the second half, he was practically unstoppable. Harry Kane is the English Messi.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Article continues belowEngland’s 2026 World Cup kitsThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Various PricesKitbagBuy Now on Kitbag
England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code DEAL.