An Englishman surrendered to Messi: "He is the best footballer of all time"

After England's victory over the DR Congo that qualified them for the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, Anthony Gordon did not hesitate to highlight Harry Kane's moment. The English forward referred to Lionel Messi as the ultimate reference to put the performance of the Three Lions' captain into perspective.

"He is having a season surpassed only by Lionel Messi, the best footballer of all time," Gordon stated. With these words, the striker made it clear the place that the Rosario player occupies in the history of the sport.

Gordon himself was key in the victory, as he assisted Kane in the two goals scored by the forward. This double allowed Kane to reach five goals in the tournament and be one of the top scorers.

Kane's leadership on and off the field

Only Messi and Kylian Mbappé, with six goals each, surpass the Englishman in the scoring table. Kane has scored more than half of the goals his team has made so far in the World Cup.

Gordon shared what it's like to spend day-to-day life with a player of that caliber. He revealed that he tries to absorb all the habits of the scorer to improve his own game. "Being close to someone like that, you want to acquire as many habits as you can and observe everything they do to see why they are at that level," he explained.

He particularly highlighted Kane's daily consistency, the serious work in each finishing training session, and the passion with which he approaches everything. "It's not a coincidence: the daily consistency, how much he works in each finishing training... He does it with passion and seriousness. He never makes mistakes," the striker added.

For Gordon, Kane has become a true inspiration for the entire English squad. His influence goes beyond goals and is evident in the leadership he exerts within the group.