Goal machines Harry Kane and Erling Haaland set for World Cup showdown

Here, the Press Association compares England skipper Harry Kane and Norway hot-shot Erling Haaland.

Golden Boot chase

Both players feature in an illustrious list of names battling for the top scorer honour this summer.

With Argentina’s Lionel Messi leading the way on eight goals as the tournament reaches the quarter-final stage, Haaland shares second place on seven with France star Kylian Mbappe – with Kane just a goal further behind on six.

Haaland, having sat out a much-changed Norway’s final Group I game against Mbappe’s France, has played a game fewer than his rivals. The Manchester City man scored twice in each of the wins over Iraq, Senegal and Brazil, and once against the Ivory Coast.

Kane scored twice in England’s opening 4-2 win over Croatia, and again to rescue a 2-1 last-32 success against the Democratic Republic of Congo, with further goals against Panama and Mexico and an assist for Jude Bellingham’s second goal against the latter.

Season of success

N/A

For both players, their efforts in North America come on the back of a prolific season.

Kane has scored 73 goals in 63 appearances for Bayern Munich and England in 2025-26, spearheading a Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double for his club along with a run to the Champions League semi-finals.

Haaland won the Premier League Golden Boot for the third time with 27 goals as City ran champions Arsenal close as well as winning both domestic cups. His 58 goals in 63 appearances this season were helped by 12 in Norway’s last four qualifiers for this tournament.

International career

N/A

Kane became England’s record scorer in March 2023 and has gone from strength to strength since, with his 85 international goals in 119 caps lifting him 32 clear of previous record holder Wayne Rooney.

He went into this summer’s tournament with a previous World Cup record of eight goals in 11 games, including winning the 2018 Golden Boot with six, and is now England’s record scorer in the competition after going past Gary Lineker’s mark of 10.

Haaland, 25 and appearing at his first World Cup, is already Norway’s record scorer with 62 goals, almost doubling Jorgen Juve’s previous record of 33 and racking up his tally in just 54 caps since his debut in 2019.