World Cup: Harry Kane wins "Man of the Match" after brace in England’s opener
| Richard Pelham/Getty Images |
Harry Kane was named “Man of the Match” for England’s chaotic win over Croatia. The Three Lions started their campaign with three points as FC Bayern’s star scored twice before the half-time break in a 4-2 victory.
It’s the fifth time Kane has won the prize. He was selected “Man of the Match” three times when he finished top-scorer in his debut campaign in 2018. In Qatar, Kane missed a penalty-kick in the quarter-final defeat to France, but he was the star of the previous round against Senegal.
Kane also started the 2026 World Cup with a missed penalty-kick. However, Dominik Livaković, who was the star of two penalty shootouts in 2018, was penalized for leaving his line early. The 32-year-old scored the retaken spot-kick with aplomb before adding the second to tie Gary Lineker’s record of ten World Cup goals for England.
