England captain Harry Kane surpassed Pelé's long-standing World Cup scoring record on July 1, 2026, during a match against DR Congo [3].

Kane's achievement marks a historic shift in football, as he overtook a record held by one of the sport's most iconic figures. The goals also ensured England avoided a potential knockout-stage upset against the DR Congo national team [4].

England defeated DR Congo with a final score of 2-1 [2]. Kane scored both goals for his side, bringing his career World Cup tally to 13 [1]. This total moves him past Pelé, who had previously held the record with 12 goals [1].

While some reports initially suggested Kane had only equaled the record, data from Yahoo Sports indicates he has officially overtaken the mark [1]. The performance cemented Kane's role as the focal point of the English attack during the tournament.

Sébastien Desabre, the coach of DR Congo, praised the England captain following the match. "He is the world's best striker," Desabre said [2].

Kane's two goals were the deciding factor in the narrow victory. The win allows England to advance in the tournament while Kane secures his place as the most prolific scorer in the history of the World Cup [1, 3].

“Kane's World Cup goal tally moved to 13, surpassing Pelé’s record of 12.”

By surpassing Pelé, Harry Kane has entered an elite tier of sporting history, validating his consistency across multiple tournament cycles. For England, this reliance on Kane's clinical finishing highlights both a tactical dependency on their captain and a critical path toward a potential championship title.