The 2018 World Cup was one for the record books for one Harry Kane. The England captain and star striker was at the top of his game during that tournament as he won the Golden Boot after scoring six goals.
He was the clear-cut winner in 2018 as he scored two more goals than anyone else because there was a logjam of goal-scorers who had four goals apiece. Now in the 2022 World Cup, Kane is primed to have another strong run as one of the favourites.
Now, it’s time to look back at his 2018 run and how it can influence his bid to be the best of the top 8 potential top goalscorers in Qatar 2022.
England heavily relies on Kane
In 2018, England managed to reach fourth place which was a big deal for the Three Lions as they were not seen as top contenders over the past few editions of the World Cup. Kane’s goal-scoring was the lynchpin to England’s cause which got them further than most fans and pundits expected.
England relies on Kane in open play as the main finisher of their scoring chances. The wingers or midfielders will find opportunities to break the defence and Kane loves to find spaces where he can score. Back then, he had a fantastic supporting cast that funnelled the ball to him. Jesse Lingard, Kieran Trippier, and Raheem Sterling were nice partners for Kane as they always located him for goals.
On his own, Kane can still beat the defence with his dribbling and physical strength. These qualities make him a world-class striker that any opposing team will be wary of. With the system centred on Kane, pundits can see him being a top striker again worthy of the Golden Boot. Playmakers like Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, and Jude Bellingham will be his main support pieces which can propel him to this coveted accolade.
Penalty kicks are common at the World Cup
Back in the 2018 World Cup, Kane’s six goals had five successful penalty kicks with the other one coming from open play. England had a penchant for drawing fouls in the box and that paid off for them and Kane because the Tottenham Hotspur star is one of the best penalty-kick takers in the world.
With players like Foden and Saka, Kane has the chance to keep getting penalties because of their aggressive style. If Kane can keep scoring these goals, it will pan out well for his bid for the Golden Boot again. Kane himself loves to play in the box and in aerial battles, which can net him some fouls.
Kane’s competition at the World Cup
There is tight competition for the Golden Boot at the World Cup. It was surprising that Kane won in 2018 but it was deserved after England almost made it to the World Cup final only losing to Croatia in the semifinals.
Now, there will be other strikers who will look to exceed Kane’s goal tally. Here are some of those players:
These are a few of the biggest names that can be considered among the top 8 potential top goalscorers in Qatar 2022. Most fans and pundits would most likely agree that Mbappé and Messi are the biggest contenders but there will be a fun race.
This will be an interesting storyline to follow because all of these forwards will aim to score and prove that they are the best goal-scorer on the planet.
