Harry Kane has officially become England’s all-time top scorer at World Cup tournaments, surpassing a record that stood for 36 years, previously held by Gary Lineker. This historic milestone occurred during England’s 2-0 victory over Panama, sparking a humorous and profane exchange between Lineker and Mika Richards.
Watching the match on television, Lineker witnessed Kane finally break his long-standing record. The England captain scored his 11th World Cup goal with a header in the 67th minute. Lineker, who netted 10 goals across the 1986 and 1990 tournaments, was viewing the game alongside Mika Richards as part of their Netflix show, The Rest is Football. After Kane’s goal, Lineker applauded the striker on social media.
However, Richards, never missing an opportunity to tease his colleague, immediately mocked the legendary forward. “Harry, Harry, I just love you,” Richards exclaimed after the goal. “Gary’s gone, he’s irrelevant now, nobody needs him anymore.”
Not one to stay silent, Lineker fired back with a crude joke, telling the former Manchester City defender, “Shut up, damn it!”
The banter didn’t stop there. In jest, Lineker pretended to press the off button on a remote control to “disconnect” Richards, who was joining via video link. Richards quickly reconnected, laughing: “I’ll let you off because it’s getting very late.” Despite the playful irritation, Lineker was full of praise for the current England captain.
“Thank you so much, Harry, sincere congratulations, absolutely. I really mean it, I’m thrilled. Forty years is a long time, and I was getting a bit bored of it. I’m incredibly happy it’s Harry Kane,” Lineker later admitted on the show.
After the final whistle, Kane revealed he had already reached out to the man whose record he had just broken. The England captain sent Lineker a lighthearted message to mark the occasion. “Sorry, Gary, I’m now one goal ahead of you,” Kane said with a smile.
Kane was quick to pay tribute to Lineker’s legacy while acknowledging the significance of his own achievement.
“I’m sure he’ll send his congratulations, and I’ve already said he’s one of England’s greatest strikers, especially at World Cups. It’s a huge honour to surpass him, and I’m sure he’ll be happy for me,” added the England captain.
