For about 70 minutes on Tuesday, England looked dead in the water. DR Congo had them pinned, Tuchel’s tactics weren’t working, and the kind of early exit that gets managers fired was staring them right in the face. Then Thomas Tuchel did something weird. He pushed Declan Rice to right-back. And it worked immediately.
Rice set up Harry Kane in the 75th minute for the equalizer. Eleven minutes later, Kane struck again from a tight angle and England escaped with a 2-1 win. The second goal also moved Kane past Pelé on the all-time World Cup scoring list. That’s not a footnote. That’s a statement.
The Golden Boot race was already stacked before this game. Now it’s basically a six-man shootout with no clear favorite. Here’s where things stand after the Round of 32.
Kylian Mbappé — 6 Goals, 2 Assists
Mbappé is still the guy everyone’s chasing. Six goals, two assists, and that combination of raw speed and cold finishing that makes defenders look like they’re moving through sand. He’s the only player in the top six who’s also creating for others at this rate. That matters when you’re trying to separate him from the pack.
Lionel Messi — 6 Goals, 0 Assists
Messi is old. He’s also tied for the tournament lead. Argentina’s entire attack runs through him, and he keeps delivering even when teams put two or three bodies on him. Zero assists looks weird for a player of his passing ability, but when you’re scoring six yourself, nobody’s complaining.
Erling Haaland — 5 Goals, 0 Assists
This is Haaland’s first World Cup and he’s already carrying Norway like they’re a top seed. Five goals, all unassisted, including an 86th-minute winner against Ivory Coast. He can go quiet for long stretches and still end up on the scoresheet. That’s a terrifying skill for everyone else.
Harry Kane — 5 Goals, 0 Assists
Kane didn’t just rescue England against DR Congo. He beat Pelé’s record in the process, which is the kind of thing that changes how a tournament feels for a team. If Tuchel figures out how to get more service to him — and England’s midfield looked better after the Rice switch — Kane could absolutely catch Mbappé and Messi.
Ousmane Dembélé — 4 Goals, 2 Assists
Dembélé is having the quietest great tournament in France. Four goals, two assists, and defenders who don’t know which foot he’s going to use. He’s the reason teams can’t just double-team Mbappé without getting burned somewhere else.
Vinícius Júnior — 4 Goals, 1 Assist
Brazil’s left flank is a nightmare because of this guy. Four goals, one assist, and the kind of flair that makes you hold your breath every time he gets the ball in transition. If Brazil goes deep, Vinícius will get plenty of chances to add to that total. The knockout rounds are where he tends to show up.
The knockout rounds start this weekend. Someone’s about to separate themselves from this group. Or maybe nobody will. That’s what makes this thing fun.
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