England 2-1 DR Congo (Kane 75′, 86′ | Cipenga 7′)
ATLANTA — We already knew this. But how often do England’s genuinely world-class players truly step up on the biggest stage of all?
In modern times, you can count them on one hand. Wayne Rooney in 2004. Paul Gascoigne in 1996. Michael Owen in 1998, perhaps. David Beckham, in moments.
In a tournament when his elite peers from around the globe have really come to the fore, the only striker in Europe with more league goals than Erling Haaland pulled a turgid England out of the mire again, beating his chest like the Lionhearted captain he has become.
On the day he drew level with Sir Bobby Moore and Billy Wright in games started as England captain, Harry Kane’s double, his 71st and 72nd goals in the most remarkable season, fired England to the last-16 against a dogged DR Congo. When, for so long, almost 10 years to the day since that Icelandic invasion in the south of France, it appeared England were set to suffer their greatest humiliation in 76 years.
