World Cup 2018: England captain Harry Kane emulates Gary Lineker by winning Golden Boot award with six goals
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Your support makes all the difference.England captain Harry Kane has won the World Cup Golden Boot award after scoring six goals in as many appearances in Russia.
Kane netted five goals in two matches in England’s group stage victories against Tunisia and Panama, as well as the opener in their 1-1 draw against Colombia in the round of 16 to become only the second Englishman ever to claim the award, following in the footsteps of Gary Lineker in 1986.
Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku was Kane’s closest rival for the award with four goals, but finished level with Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, France pair Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann and Denis Cheryshev of Russia after missing several good chances to add to his tally in his side’s convincing 2-0 win over England in the World Cup third-place playoff in Saint Petersburg on Saturday.
Mbappe and Griezmann required at least three goals to deny Kane the award in the World Cup final on Sunday, but scored just once each as France beat Croatia 4-2 at the Luzhniki Stadium to lift the trophy for a second time.
Three of Kane’s goals in the tournament came from the penalty spot and his spot kick against Colombia was the only shot on target he mustered in the knockout stage, though one missed chance when flagged offside against Croatia in the semi-final would likely have been overturned by VAR.
Asked about his Golden Boot chances after England’s defeat to Belgium, Kane said: “It shows we had a very good group stage. We scored a lot of goals. Obviously, I’m disappointed I couldn’t get a goal in the last few games but that’s football. Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes it doesn’t. We’ll see if I do get it but if I do, it’ll be something I’m very proud of.”
Kane’s tally of six goals has only been surpassed in one of the last 10 World Cups – Ronaldo scored eight to help Brazil triumph in 2002 – but the all-time competition record still belongs to legendary France striker Just Fontaine, who netted 13 times in the 1958 tournament.
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