Desabre praises Harry Kane: "England had to turn to the best striker in the world"

Harry Kane once again delivered when England needed him most at the FIFA World Cup 2026, and even the opposing coach had to acknowledge his impact.

Harry Kane once again delivered when England needed him most at the FIFA World Cup 2026, and even the opposing coach had to acknowledge his impact.

After the Three Lions came from behind to beat DR Congo 2-1 in the Round of 32, Sébastien Desabre praised the England captain and described him as "the best striker in the world."

Kane changed the game for England

DR Congo struck first in Atlanta through Brian Cipenga in the 10th minute, putting England under real pressure and raising the possibility of a major World Cup upset.

But Kane took over late in the match, scoring twice in the 75th and 86th minutes to complete the comeback and send England into the Round of 16.

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Desabre highlights Kane's impact

Despite the disappointment of elimination, Desabre emphasized how close his team came to shocking England and pointed directly to Kane as the difference-maker.

"We created chances that made England doubt. They had to turn to the best striker in the world to come back. We did what we had to do and came close. That in itself is a victory."

The DR Congo coach also explained that his tactical plan nearly worked.

"We used a third system and it worked well. The 3-5-2 functioned quite well, especially in the attacking phase."

DR Congo exits with pride

Although DR Congo's World Cup run ended in defeat, Desabre insisted his players left the tournament with their heads held high.

"When you represent your national team, you have to leave something behind, and everyone saw today that Congolese football has reached a good level."

The coach admitted his squad was disappointed but stressed that DR Congo competed well against strong opponents, including Colombia, Portugal, Uzbekistan and England.

England moves on

Thanks to Kane's late brace, England booked its place in the Round of 16 and kept its World Cup hopes alive.

The England captain once again proved why he remains one of the most decisive forwards in world football—and why even rival coaches see him as the player capable of changing everything.