Harry Kane is the greatest striker England have ever produced — that is the verdict of Gary Lineker, who saw his own World Cup record equalled on Wednesday after Kane scored twice in England's 4-2 opening Group L victory over Croatia in Dallas.

The Bayern Munich forward, 32, now shares Lineker's mark of 10 World Cup goals, a tally the 65-year-old former England striker accumulated across the 1986 tournament in Mexico and Italia 90. Kane, by contrast, has reached the same figure at his third World Cup, having also featured in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.

Lineker's generous tribute