Harry Kane rescued England from a shock World Cup dream that ended with two late goals to beat the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 in Atlanta and secure a place in the last 16.

From the beginning of the game, Dr Congo stood their ground against a star-studded England team with a goal scored by Brian Cipenga in 7 minutes. It was an impressive game for the Dr Congo hold team who paraded super footballers like Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, just to mention a few.
They have a very solid defense ably led by Danceable, who is blessed to have a very good goalkeeper who has very good reflexes.
England failed to use their quality till the 75th minute. Here are the game statistics

Statistics for the first half

The statistics are not bad for a debutante team in the World Cup.
58% to Congo DR 48%.
England had 8 with only 4 shots on target to Congo DR 3 to 1.
Congo DR is 1 goal ahead of the England team. A very balanced team from defense, midfield to attack.
As the first half was very, very exciting, and expecting an exhilarating outcome for the African team in the second half, just towards the end of the game, England showed a classic display. Possession reads 59 to 41 for England, while passes are 277 to 198 and accurate passes 253 to 170. England’s final‑third entries are 41 to 20, and their final‑third phase completion sits at 82% against DR Congo’s 75%. Long balls are even in volume at 9 completed apiece, with England a touch cleaner at 53% to 45%. Crosses underline the pattern too, with England completing five and DR Congo yet to hit one of their six at 75 minutes to crowd their contribution: a goal from Harry Kane for them to make their equalizer. England continued pushing until the same pair combined once again with four minutes left on the clock as Gordon recycled the ball after Bellingham had yet another shot saved by MP’s and Kane unleashed an unstoppable finish from the edge of the penalty area to secure victory for England at 86 minutes from Harry Kane, which makes him surpass Pelé with 13 World Cup goals. Both goals were assisted by Anthony Gordon. Congratulations to the England team who won by 2-1.

Players with wonderful performances at today’s games

England’s central defenders only misplaced two passes vs DR Congo:

◉ 70/72 — Ezra Konya
◉ 68/68 – Marc Guéhi

The Dr Congo goalkeeper made more saves in today’s game.

England had plenty of chances to score against DR Congo but Lionel Mpasi came up heavy.
From Harry Kane to Mpasi : “Congo goalkeeper… congrats. Credits to him. He made some great saves”.

Anthony Gordon, after a summer of criticism of poor displays, delivered when it mattered most, coming in to have two assists for Harry Kane to help England turn the game around.

Harry Kane keeps scoring goals to keep his statement

“I spoke before the tournament about the World Cup being the biggest competition we play as professional footballers, so to get to 11 goals is a proud feeling.

Two against Panama.
Two against Dr Congo

Too great for England’s all-time leading scorer.

The FIFA World Cup saw another record-breaking day by day, as this time when many stepped up their game and made their own following.

Hakimi has now created 21 chances in the World Cup, trailing only Ivory Coast’s Yaya Toure (23) among African players since 1966.

This is the first time South Africa have reached the Knockout stage of a World Cup.

Vinícius Junior’s header score against Scotland was his first Vinícius Junior header score in his international career.

Carlo Ancelotti is the first Italian manager to reach the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup since Fabio Capello did so in 2010 for England, 16 years ago.

Ismael Saibari is the first ever Moroccan player to score in all three group games at a single World Cup tournament.

⚽ vs. Brazil
⚽ vs. Scotland
⚽ vs. Haiti

Cr 7, at 41 years, 138 days, becomes the second-oldest goalscorer in World Cup history — behind only Cameroon’s Roger Milla, a goalscorer in 1994 against Russia at the age of 42yrs.

Cristiano Ronaldo: The first man to score at six FIFA World Cup tournaments.

Haiti’s have their first FIFA World Cup goal since 1974! Against Morocco.

There are still FOUR teams yet to concede a single goal at the World Cup

🇲🇽 Mexico
🇪🇸 Spain
🇦🇷 Argentina
🇬🇭 Ghana

Apart from the fact that the World Cup produces iconic moments that fans will remember forever, this is the ultimate event which brings people together, even at work or in the streets people are talking about.
As 195 recognized countries in the world today which just 48 countries are competing in the current FIFA World Cup has expanded from the previous 32 countries, making this year’s edition of special events more interesting.
As of today 12, teams have booked their spot in the round of 32.
Remember the top two teams in each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-place finishers, advance to knockouts.

Who has qualified for the World Cup 2026 knockout stage round of 32?

Mexico 🇲🇽

Mexico from Group A who happened to be the hosts of this year’s World Cup, were the first to qualify for the knockouts by topping Group A with 9 points. The 1-0 win over South Korea on Thursday, June 18. The Mexicans started their campaign with a 2-0 win over South Africa in a chaotic tournament opener.

USA 🇺🇸

The United States from Group D
Were the second team to secure a spot in the knockouts with a 2-0 win over Australia and their 4-1 win over Paraguay in their opening campaign really helped them be the champions of group D.

Germany 🇩🇪

The 7-1 win against Curacao and 2-1 win on Saturday, June 20 over Ivory Coast give them chances to proceed to the next stage of Group E .
Remember this is a country that failed to get out of the group stage in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2026.

Argentina 🇦🇷

Argentina got their ticket to the knockouts with a Lionel Messi hat-trick goal which gave them a 3-0 win over Algeria in the opening game and a 2-0 victory over Austria on Monday, June 22 to
Top Group J, although they still have one game to play at the group stage.

France 🇫🇷

France was amazing, beating Senegal 3-1 in their kick-off game and Iraq 3-0 on Monday to secure a place in the round of 32.

Norway 🇳🇴

Norway beat Senegal 3-2 in their second game of the tournament and Iraq 4-1 to get their place in the knockout stage since the last campaign at the FIFA World Cup.

Colombia 🇨🇴

Colombia have booked their spot in round 32 with 6 points by beating Uzbekistan 3-1 in the opening game and DR Congo on Tuesday, June 23, 1-0.

Switzerland 🇨🇭

Switzerland finished top of Group B with seven points, unbeaten with a 2-1 victory against co-host Canada on Wednesday, June 24 in Vancouver.

Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s case for a place in the last 32 was confirmed with a commanding 3-1 win over Qatar. The team finished third in Group B as one of the best third-place qualifiers.

Brazil 🇧🇷

Yesterday, June 24, Brazil advanced to ⁠the knockout stages of the World Cup with seven points and a +6 goal difference after a 3-0 win over Scotland in their final group stage game.

South Africa 🇿🇦

Banana’s unexpected 1-0 win against South Korea on Wednesday, June 24, officially advanced the African nation to the Round of 32. It’s the first time South Africa will take part in the knockout rounds.

Morocco 🇲🇦
Morocco came second to qualify in the same group as Brazil on goal difference after beating Haiti 4-2.

Apart from Lionel Messi still leading in goal scoring, assists and games played at the FIFA World Cup.

🇦🇷 Messi:
👕 28 games
⚽️ 18 goals
🎯 8 assists

🇵🇹 Ronaldo:
👕 24 games
⚽️ 10 goals
🎯 2 assists

But the determination still reflected in 41-year-old Portuguese Cristiano  Ronaldo as he can’t be subbed off after a four-goal lead. Maybe what people throw at him makes him so energetic, as he said : “They said I should retire… but I am here.”

“The noise from outside is always like this, but we can’t control it. We keep going and we are united.”

It was :·Reporter: Did you say “I’m back” to the camera?

Cristiano Ronaldo: “Yes, so that they do NOT forget.”
Here are the records set by him after the game.

▪️ Ended a 10-match goal drought for Portugal at major tournaments.
▪️ First player ever to score 10 goals at both the World Cup and European Championship.
▪️ Portugal’s all-time leading World Cup goalscorer.
▪️ The oldest player ever to score a World Cup brace.

With his assist for Kylian Mbappé’s goal, Michael Olise is now joint-top of the most assists at the 2026 World Cup:

As the thrill of a football match lies in the pursuit of one ultimate objective: scoring goals, but it is is very difficult to score goals in a match without being assisted by a team mates, mostly those who assist might also score them but looking for who is best position to do needful. Apart from Michael Olise scoring 27 goals in two seasons at Bayern Munich, back-to-back Bundesliga titles and a Player of the Season award, his creative role for France at the World Cup 2026 was amazing to check how Olise was full of energy as it France opened with a 3-1 win over Senegal at MetLife Stadium. He played the full 90 minutes and was man of all moments as an effective creator, laying on a goal and creating four chances in all, with two shots of his own, eight passes into the penalty area and five corners. Kylin Mbappé scored twice and Bradley Barcola added another as France made a strong start, with Olive’s creativity central to the win and also turned magic in their game against Iraq having two assists, 59 touches, 6 touches in opposition. Box, 6 duels won, 5x possession won, 3 chances created,3 shots and
3 successful take-ons. These are all that led him to join top of the most assists in the ongoing 2026 World Cup with assist.

The names of the top assistants presently are listed below.

🇫🇷 Michael Olise — 3
🇸🇪 Alexander Isak — 3
🇩🇪 Joshua Kimmich — 2
🇪🇸 Brahim Díaz — 2
🇳🇱 Denzel Dumfries — 2
🇩🇪 Deniz Undav — 2
🇪🇬 Mohamed Salah — 2
🇵🇾 Julio Enciso — 2
🇳🇿 Chris Wood — 2
🇳🇱 Ryan Gravenberch — 2

Kylian Mbappé is closing in on Lionel Messi’s FIFA World Cup goal record after another brilliant performance for France.

The French captain scored twice as France defeated Iraq 3-0 in their FIFA World Cup match, strengthening his standing among the greatest goalscorers in World Cup history. His latest goals moved him level with Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals, while Messi remains ahead with 18.

Mbappé has already established an outstanding World Cup legacy. From his breakthrough at the 2018 FIFA World Cup to his unforgettable hat-trick in the 2022 final against Argentina, the French forward has become one of the most dangerous players in the tournament’s history.

The big question now is whether Mbappé can overtake Messi before the tournament ends. With France still in the competition and Mbappé in strong scoring form, the race for the all-time FIFA World Cup goals record is becoming one of the biggest stories of the tournament.

All-Time FIFA World Cup Top Scorers

1. Lionel Messi — 18 goals
2. Kylian Mbappé — 16 goals
3. Miroslav Klose — 16 goals
4. Ronaldo Nazário — 15 goals
5. Gerd Müller — 14 goals

Mbappé’s consistency on the biggest stage has placed him among football’s greatest forwards. At his current rate, he has a strong chance of becoming the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history.

For now, Messi leads the race, but Mbappé is closing the gap.

Can Kylian Mbappé overtake Lionel Messi to become the greatest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history?

The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup has already delivered several historic moments, major records and unforgettable storylines.

From debutant nations scoring their first-ever World Cup goals to Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé leading the Golden Boot race, the tournament has given football fans plenty to talk about.

One of the biggest stories so far has been the rise of new World Cup nations. FIFA confirmed that Cabo Verde, DR Congo, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan all scored their first-ever goals at the tournament, making the expanded 2026 World Cup a memorable one for several countries.

Cabo Verde has also become one of the fairytale stories of the tournament. The World Cup debutants impressed with their organisation, defensive strength and resilience, earning respect against bigger football nations.

There has also been a history for Ivan Perišić, who became only the second player, after Lionel Messi, to provide assists in four different World Cup editions since detailed records began in 1966.

Another major milestone came through Guillermo Ochoa, who joined Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the few players to feature at a sixth FIFA World Cup.

Messi has also continued to add to his World Cup legacy. He remains the only player to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball twice, having won the award in 2014 and 2022.

There has also been African history, as Ghana equalled Nigeria’s record for the most FIFA World Cup wins by an African nation after beating Panama.

2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Race So Far

The race for the Golden Boot is also becoming one of the biggest talking points of the tournament.

Current leading scorers include:

1. Lionel Messi — 6 goals
2. Kylian Mbappé — 6 goals
3. Harry Kane — 5 goals
4. Erling Haaland — 5 goals
5. Ousmane Dembélé — 4 goals
6. Vinícius Júnior — 4 goals

With the tournament now in the knockout rounds, more records could still be broken. Messi, Mbappé, Kane and Haaland are all chasing history, while smaller nations such as Cabo Verde have already shown that the 2026 FIFA World Cup is not only about the biggest names.

This tournament has already produced goals, records, shocks and emotional moments. As the competition continues, football fans can expect even more history before the final whistle.

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest football event in the history of the football gathers over 30 countries together for one trophy 🏆 with over 700 players of different qualities and have certain players who do great by scoring goals and lead the goal scoring as follows

Miroslav Klose 16 goals
Lionel Messi 16 goals
Ronaldo de Lima. 15goals
Gerd Muller 14 goals
Kylin Mbappe 14 goals
They have done wonderfully to the beauty of the game.

1
Miroslav Klose was born in Opole, Poland, in the Silesian region of Central Europe on June 9, 1978, in Opole, Poland. His parents were top athletes: his father, Josef Klose, played for the French professional football club Auxerre, and his mother, Barbara Jez, represented the Polish women’s national handball team. The German football player who played in the center forward position as a striker. Klose is the all-time leading goalscorer for the German men’s national team. He shares the record for the most goals scored in the history of the men’s FIFA World Cup tournament with Argentina’s Lionel Messi. Klose was part of the German national team that won the World Cup in 2014.

2

Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987, to a middle-class family who lived in Argentina. Growing up in a football-loving family, he developed a passion for football from his father at an early age.
At 5, he showed great skills at a local club coached by his father.
When he was 11, he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency and had to seek medical assistance. His quote: “Every night I had to stick a needle into my legs, over a period of 3 years.” Unfortunately, his family could not afford the treatment for long.when he was 13, FC, Barcelona offered treatment which led to the top 5 all-time goal scorers in Fifa men’s world .

3

Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima (born September 18 or 22, 1976, Itaguai, Brazil) and grew up in the poor Rio de Janeiro suburb of Bento Ribeiro. He began playing football as a junior for the neighborhood Social Ramos Club at age 12 and two years later joined São Cristóvão in the Carioca League. By 1992, he was playing in the Brazilian championship for Cruzeiro. This amazing player was first introduced to the world in 1994 at age 17, and was the youngest member of the Brazilian squad that won the 1994 FIFA World Cup. At the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo received the Golden Ball and led Brazil to a World Cup title in 2002.

4

Gerhard Müller was born on November 3, 1945, in Nördlingen, Germany. The names of his parents are unknown and there are few known facts about his early life. But at the beginning of his career, Gerd Müller played for his boyhood team, where he bagged 52 goals in the 5th division.

5

Kylin Mbappé Lottin was born 6 months after France won the World Cup in 1998, which fell on the 20th of December 1998. Mbps was born in Paris, France to parents Wilfried Mbappé, a father from Cameroon & Fayza Lamari Mbappé’s mother from Algeria.he began playing football at age 6, under Antonio Riccardi.

The FIFA Men’s World Cup is the world’s most-watched single sporting event, uniting billions of fans globally.

Presently Total 54 hat-tricks have been scored in the history of the FIFA Men’s World Cup in which Only four players have ever scored two World Cup hat-tricks: Gabriel Batistuta, Just Fontaine, Sándor Kocsis, and Gerd Müller.

The most recent hat-tricks were scored in 2026 by Lionel Messi in first game against Algeria and 2022 by Kylian Mbappé (in the final) and Gonçalo Ramos.

The complete list of players who have achieved this feat on football’s biggest stage includes:Notable Multiple Hat-Trick ScorersGabriel Batistuta (Argentina) – 1994, 1998Just Fontaine (France) – 1958Sándor Kocsis (Hungary) – 1954Gerd Müller (West Germany) – 1970Recent Hat-Tricks (2002–2022)Kylian Mbappé (France) vs. Argentina – 2022Gonçalo Ramos (Portugal) vs. Switzerland – 2022Harry Kane (England) vs. Panama – 2018Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) vs. Spain – 2018Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland) vs. Honduras – 2014Thomas Müller (Germany) vs. Portugal – 2014Gonzalo Higuaín (Argentina) vs. South Korea – 2010Miroslav Klose (Germany) vs. Saudi Arabia – 2002Pauleta (Portugal) vs. Poland – 2002Historical World Cup Hat-Tricks (1930–1998)1998: Gabriel Batistuta (ARG), Guillermo Stábile (ARG) Note: Stábile’s was the first-ever hat-trick in 1930.1994: Oleg Salenko (RUS) – He scored 5 goals in one match, the World Cup record.1990: Míchel (ESP), Tomáš Skuhravý (TCH), Gary Lineker (ENG)1986: Preben Elkjær Larsen (DEN), Gary Lineker (ENG), Igor Belanov (USSR), Emilio Butragueño (ESP)1982: László Kiss (HUN), Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (GER), Zbigniew Boniek (POL), Paolo Rossi (ITA)1978: Rob Rensenbrink (NED), Teófilo Cubilas (PER)1974: Dušan Bajević (YUG), Andrzej Szarmach (POL)1970: Gerd Müller (GER, x2), Pelé (BRA) – Pelé scored two hat-tricks across his World Cup career.1966: Geoff Hurst (ENG) – The only player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup Final. Eusébio (POR)1962: Flórián Albert (HUN)1958: Just Fontaine (FRA, x2), Pelé (BRA), Vava (BRA), Just Fontaine (FRA)1954: Sándor Kocsis (HUN, x2), Josef Hügi (SUI), Max Morlock (GER), Carlos Borges (URU), Erich Probst (AUT), Theodor Wagner (AUT), Robert Ballaman (SUI), Burhan Sargun (TUR)1950: Oscar Míguez (URU), Ademir (BRA)1938: Leonidas (BRA), Ernst Wilimowski (POL), Tore Keller (SWE)1930: Bert Patenaude (USA), Pedro Cea (URU), Guillermo Stábile (ARG)