We've said it before and we'll keep saying it until people actually listen — without Harry Kane, this England side are nothing.
DR Congo came to that tournament and nearly sent Thomas Tuchel packing before his job had barely begun. England were wobbling, getting shown up by a side ranked well below them, and it took their captain to bail the lot of them out with a late brace to book passage into the Round of 16. Sound familiar? It should. We've watched this film too many times.
England Were a Mess Until Kane Rescued Them
Let's not dress this up. England were in genuine trouble against DR Congo. A side that, on paper, they should be handling with something to spare. Instead, Sky Sports News' Rob Dorsett reflected on a performance where England looked uncertain, sloppy, and well short of what a World Cup contender needs to look like. The crowd, the pressure, the occasion — it all seemed to weigh on them until Kane decided enough was enough.
His brace was the difference. Not a tactical tweak from the touchline. Not some brilliant team move built up over ninety minutes of patient football. Kane. Doing what Kane does. Dragging England over the line through sheer quality when everything else around him was falling short.
And here's what gets us — there's still a section of the conversation that wants to treat Kane as a passenger or question whether he's worth building around. Watch that game back. Watch what happens to England without his goals. They're out. Full stop. Tuchel's honeymoon period ends in the most embarrassing fashion possible. That's the reality.
Tuchel's Job on the Line — Kane Bailed Him Out Too
The Yahoo Sports angle on this wasn't just about England's World Cup — it framed Kane's performance as the moment that saved Tuchel's position too. That's significant. A new manager, big expectations, and the side nearly capitulates to DR Congo in the Round of 32. You don't survive that. Not at a tournament, not with the English press watching every move.
Tuchel has arrived with a clear mandate to get England playing with more structure and purpose than his predecessors managed. But what we saw against DR Congo suggests the foundations aren't quite there yet. The players aren't fully buying in, or they're not sharp enough on the detail, or both. Either way, it wasn't pretty — and without Kane producing something brilliant late on, we'd be writing a very different article right now.
The Belfast Telegraph called it a comeback. That's the right word. England were in danger and Kane pulled them back. A late double from your captain shouldn't be the standard operating procedure for a side with genuine ambitions — but right now, for England, it kind of is.
Our Verdict
England are through, and that's what matters at a World Cup. But let's not pretend the performance deserved anything more than relief. Kane is carrying this side on his back and has been for years. Tuchel needs to build a team around him that actually earns its wins rather than stumbling into them.
One man shouldn't be the difference between glory and embarrassment at this level. Until England fix that, every knockout round is going to feel like walking a tightrope — with Kane as the only one holding the balance.