As England prepares for their round of 32 match against DR Congo, striker Harry Kane is poised to make history. With just one more goal, he will match Geoff Hurst for the second-highest number of goals scored by an English player in FIFA World Cup knockout matches. England, having previously finished as runners-up in the last two Euro Championships and achieving fourth place in the 2018 World Cup and a quarterfinal exit in 2022, aims to secure a spot in the quarterfinals against DR Congo.

According to Opta Analyst, Kane has netted three goals in FIFA World Cup knockout stages and needs one more to equal Hurst's tally of four. The record for the most knockout goals for England is held by Gary Lineker, who scored six. Kane's goal in the final group stage match against Panama marked his third of the tournament, bringing his total to 11 World Cup goals, surpassing Lineker to become England's all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. He has also accumulated 18 goals in major international tournaments, including the Euro Championship.

Under the management of Thomas Tuchel, England concluded Group L with seven points, matching their best-ever World Cup group stage performance, previously achieved in 2006 and 2022, as noted by Opta Analyst. The team kicked off their campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia, followed by a goalless draw against Ghana, and secured the top position with a win over Panama.