Harry Kane Ties Gary Lineker's England World Cup Record: 10 Goals
With a penalty in the 12th minute and a clinical finish in the 42nd against Croatia, Harry Kane reached 10 FIFA World Cup goals — equalling Gary Lineker's England record that had stood since 1990.
June 17, 2026 will live long in the memory for English football fans. In front of a packed AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Harry Kane — England's captain, all-time leading scorer, and the tournament's most prolific penalty taker — buried a 12th-minute spot kick to open his account at World Cup 2026. Twenty-nine minutes later he struck again, rifling home on 42 minutes to bring his all-time FIFA World Cup tally to 10 goals and tie a record set by Gary Lineker 32 years ago.
It was a performance that underlined exactly why Kane has become one of the greatest strikers in the history of international football. England ran out 4-2 winners over Croatia — a result that avenged the painful 2018 semi-final defeat — with Jude Bellingham (47') and Marcus Rashford (85') adding further gloss. But the headlines belonged to the captain, whose double drew him level with Lineker in the record books.
The Record-Breaking Brace — Goal by Goal
Kane's first goal came from the spot after a Croatian foul inside the box, converted with trademark composure in the 12th minute. It was also a second milestone: that penalty was Kane's fifth converted spot kick at FIFA World Cups (excluding penalty shootouts), making him the outright leader in that category in World Cup history.
His second arrived just before half-time on 42 minutes, capitalising on a moment of defensive hesitation from Croatia's back line. Kane was in the right place at the right time — but then, he always is. The clinical finish brought his tally for England in World Cup competition to a remarkable 10 goals in 13 appearances across three editions of the tournament (Russia 2018, Qatar 2022, USA/Canada/Mexico 2026).
How Kane Compares: England's All-Time World Cup Goalscorers
| Rank | Player | Goals | Tournaments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1= | Harry Kane | 10 | 2018, 2022, 2026 |
| 1= | Gary Lineker | 10 | 1986, 1990 |
| 3 | Geoff Hurst | 5 | 1966 |
| 4 | Martin Peters | 4 | 1966, 1970 |
| 4= | Nat Lofthouse | 3 | 1954 |
Lineker's record was the gold standard for England's World Cup scoring for three and a half decades. The Tottenham and Barcelona striker netted six goals at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico (including a hat-trick against Poland) and added four more in Italy in 1990. He won the Golden Boot in Mexico. For 32 years, no English striker had come close to threatening that mark — until Kane's Golden Boot–winning campaign in Russia 2018, where he bagged six goals in one tournament alone.
Kane followed that up with two goals in Qatar 2022 before arriving at the 2026 tournament on eight World Cup goals. Two games in Dallas has now made him a joint record holder. With England still alive and kicking in Group L — and almost certainly progressing to the knockout rounds — more goals are almost certain to follow.
Can Kane Break the Record Outright?
England have at minimum two more group-stage matches remaining (against Ghana and Panama), plus the potential for up to four knockout-round games through to the final on July 19. Kane, at 32 years old and in peak form at Bayern Munich, shows no signs of slowing down. If England progress deep into the tournament, a number of 11 or 12 World Cup goals would move him permanently clear of Lineker's mark.
The wider context is also worth noting: Kane's 81 international goals for England already make him the country's all-time leading scorer in any competition. He surpassed Wayne Rooney's record of 53 international goals back in 2023 and has never stopped. At World Cup 2026, he now has the chance to go from record-holder to record-breaker in the same summer.
What England's 4-2 Win Over Croatia Means for Group L
England sit top of Group L after matchday one, level on points with Ghana who beat Panama 1-0 on the same day. The next opponents for England will be Ghana — a match that could determine which team wins the group outright. Croatia, meanwhile, are under enormous pressure after this result: they must win their remaining two fixtures or face early elimination.
For Kane personally, the tournament could not have started better. Twelve games into the group stage of his third World Cup, England's captain has delivered when it matters most. A record 11th World Cup goal awaits — the only question is whether it arrives in the group stage or in the knockouts.
Frequently Asked Questions
After his brace against Croatia on June 17, 2026, Harry Kane has 10 FIFA World Cup goals, equalling Gary Lineker's England record. He scored 6 at Russia 2018, 2 at Qatar 2022, and 2 so far at the 2026 World Cup.
Harry Kane and Gary Lineker are joint holders of the England World Cup goals record with 10 goals each. Lineker set the mark across the 1986 and 1990 tournaments; Kane equalled it at the 2026 World Cup against Croatia.
Kane holds the record for most penalties scored in FIFA World Cup history excluding shootouts, with 5. He also won the Golden Boot at Russia 2018 with 6 goals. He is England's all-time top scorer across all international competitions with 81 goals.
England beat Croatia 4-2 on June 17, 2026, in Group L at AT&T Stadium, Dallas. Kane scored twice (12', 42'), with Bellingham (47') and Rashford (85') adding more. Croatia replied through Baturina (36') and Musa (45').