Harry Kane scored twice in England’s 2-1 win over DR Congo on July 1, pushing his tally for the 2026 World Cup to four goals. That result pulled him into the thick of the Golden Boot race, though he still trails the two men sitting on top of it.

DR Congo led first. Brian Cipenga scored in the seventh minute at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and for a while England looked shaky against a team ranked far below them. Kane settled it himself, scoring twice to send Thomas Tuchel’s side into the round of 16, where Mexico wait on July 6.

Where Kane Stands Against the Leaders

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are tied at the top of the Golden Boot standings with six goals each, according to tracking from ESPN and Sky Sports. Erling Haaland sits one behind on five, after scoring in Norway’s win over Ivory Coast in the last 32.

Ousmane Dembele has four. So does Kane, now that his brace against DR Congo has landed. He is not leading the race, but he is close enough that a strong knockout run could change that fast.

Four goals from two matches is a good return for any striker at this stage. The gap to Messi and Mbappe is two goals, not an enormous distance with three knockout rounds still to play before the final.

A Tournament of Contrasts for England’s Captain

Kane’s World Cup has not been a straight line upward. He scored twice in England’s 4-2 win over Croatia in the group stage, a strong start that suggested a big tournament was coming.

Then came a goalless draw against Ghana, a frustrating match where Kane could not find the net at all. It was the kind of quiet game that makes a Golden Boot race look further away than it is.

The brace against DR Congo reset that. Kane took a pass from Anthony Gordon on the edge of the box and turned to beat goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi high into the net, the goal that ultimately won the match. It was the sort of finish that reminds people why he leads this team.

What Comes Next in the Race

Kane has already passed Gary Lineker as England’s all-time leading World Cup scorer, a record built across three tournaments rather than one hot run. That history matters here. He has never won a Golden Boot, despite coming close in 2018.

The round of 16 will decide a lot. Messi’s Argentina, Mbappe’s France, and Haaland’s Norway are all still alive, which means the chasing pack, Kane included, needs matches to go their way just to keep the gap from growing.

England’s game against Mexico is Kane’s next chance to add to his count. Whether he takes it will say a lot about where this Golden Boot race ends up.

Kane needs two more goals to draw level with the leaders, and he has at least one more match to find them.