FIFA World Cup 2018
‘It’s coming home’, is the slogan used by England fans, pundits, media and former players alike. There is a feeling that the FIFA World Cup 2018 will land in England this time amidst all the odds.
On Tuesday, England broke the penalty shoot-out jinx in a knockout phase after downing Colombia 4-3 in the same after a 1-1 score until extra-time. The man of the moment is their skipper, who has led with a calm head. England’s Harry Kane has handled responsibility with precision.
So much so, this England side has shown an amazing sense of character and belief. Many had expected them to bottle it down, but under Gareth Southgate, the European giants have defied criticisms and past occurrences to stand tall.
A Different Aura
England has reached the quarter-finals just like 2002 and 2006, but this time there is a different aura about this side. A wave of positivity lingers on as there is a feeling Kane’s team could go and do an impressive job.
With Sweden next, England knows that they have another vital task against a team that has played solid football. But there is a ray of hope for England to conquer their opponents and move to the semis. That hope is Harry Kane.The 25-year-old striker has been the epitome of this side in the three matches he has featured in. In all three games, his impact has been monumental.
If England is to do more wonders in Russia, a lot will depend on how Kane feeds on his form and continues to do what he does best – score goals. The Tottenham Hotspur player has been a revelation in club football in recent years, scoring a crazy amount of goals every single season.
The two-time EPL Golden Boot winner was touted to be the next big thing in English football post the Wayne Rooney era. As Rooney called it a day last year, Kane took over ever so with utmost confidence.
And Southgate needs to be mentioned here for handling Kane with the responsibility of stepping out as the Three Lions skipper. Kane since then has never looked back.
England’s leader has a strong head
Against Colombia, Kane looked tired in the 2nd half of extra-time and settled down as a number 10, just looking to get in the right passes. The quick runs had disappeared and he was happy to be a mere passenger in the side. But moments later, he regained back the strength when the time for spot-kick battle came into force.
After Radamel Falcao’s strike for Colombia, his counterpart Kane came in and once again smashed the ball into the back of the net. A player that has already scored three penalties in the 2018 World Cup, scored in the shoot-out after laying the ball in the same direction. And once again it was the same result.
Kane is a master of the mental strength. He knows what he is doing and how he needs to get about his job every time.
The match against Colombia saw the momentum sway, as danger reigned in every situation. And in a battle where one required their concentration for 120 minutes, besides the penalty shoot-out, the coolest of heads often come out calling. And here it was Kane, who helped secure the most crucial of shoot-out victories
A lion in front of goal
He is always there at the right place at the right time. Such is Kane’s power in knowing what is expected when a chance comes calling. We have seen that on numerous occasions in the Premier League, where the striker has been phenomenal in calling in the shots and dictating from crucial positions. This World Cup was no different.
Kane is one of the best forwards in the world presently. A gifted striker, that has all the attributes of a number 9.
From headers to strong feet, besides excellent positioning, Kane is a clever modern day poacher. He is every bit of former Brazilian legend Ronaldo to that of someone like a Michael Owen, who was ferocious in front of goal.
The winner against Tunisia in the opening game in injury-time showed his caliber of being smart. A sublime header that was well away from the keeper and his positioning right near the far end post showed how his skills in anticipating where could the ball come.
Even while taking penalties, his strength and character are immense. Kane hardly sets a wrong foot from the spot-kick.
This World Cup when the several world class players have missed penalties, Kane showed why he is special.
Can Kane win the Golden Boot?
The race for the Golden Boot has taken a promising turn for the England skipper. When one looks back in the previous edition in 2014, Colombia’s James Rodriguez went home as the top scorer with just six goals – but his tally is likely to be well beaten in Russia.
So far, the top goal scorer in Russia is Kane with six goals. He has the chance now of getting that higher and stake a strong claim to win the award.
Since 2017, he has scored 80 goals in 79 appearances across all competitions. This shows how much he enjoys finding the back of the net.
But, Kane isn’t alone in the race. Some of the best forwards in the world – from Kylian Mbappe and Romelu Lukaku are all in goal-scoring form, with the duo likely to challenge the supremacy of Kane. Lukaku has 4 goals to Mbappe’s 3 and now with the situation very tight, they need to score them and also win games for their sides to have a real chance as the tourney progresses.
Kane is on course to become England’s first winner of the Golden Boot since Gary Lineker in 1986. In the 2006 and 2010 editions, five goals were enough to land the Golden Boot and although this time the stakes are higher, Kane has every chance now to go and write his name in history books to join some of the elite goal-scorers in World Cup history.