Will free-scoring Harry Kane achieve World Cup first? Robbie Fowler explains why England captain can make history in 2026
Harry Kane will be leading England’s quest for World Cup glory in 2026, but can the prolific Bayern Munich striker make history by becoming the first man to win two Golden Boots?
Spain will face Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup final in New Jersey after England’s run ended in a 2-1 semifinal defeat in Atlanta. Thomas Tuchel said his side “got too passive” after taking the lead, and Harry Kane admitted England were not good enough to protect a 1-0 advantage as Argentina struck twice late on. Lionel Messi drove Argentina’s performance, with Lautaro Martinez also central to the comeback.
Spain’s build-up to the final has been slightly unsettled after Lamine Yamal and Pedro Porro missed training, although their status for the match was later clarified. England, left to regroup after the semifinal loss, now meet France in Saturday’s third-place game in Miami, where thunderstorms are forecast and could delay or suspend play.
Away from the tournament, Juventus completed the signing of Turkey defender Zeki Celik on a free transfer from Roma, handing him a deal through June 30, 2029 and paying a €1 million agent fee. Atalanta, meanwhile, formally introduced Maurizio Sarri as head coach, with the veteran saying he “didn’t hesitate” when the offer arrived. Lille also unveiled Davide Ancelotti as head coach, the 36-year-old saying he wants to write his own story.
There was significant injury news in Italy too. Napoli said Alessandro Buongiorno will miss preseason with a knee injury and could require surgery, while Juventus expect Khephren Thuram to miss the whole preseason because of his own knee problem. Italian football was also mourning Osvaldo Bagnoli, who has died at 91. Bagnoli led Hellas Verona to the 1985 Serie A title, one of the landmark achievements in the club’s history.
| Pos | Team | Played | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 38 | 44 | 85 |
| 2 | Manchester City | 38 | 42 | 78 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 38 | 19 | 71 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 38 | 7 | 65 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 38 | 10 | 60 |
| 6 | Bournemouth | 38 | 4 | 57 |
| 7 | Sunderland | 38 | -6 | 54 |
| 8 | Brighton | 38 | 6 | 53 |
| 9 | Brentford | 38 | 3 | 53 |
| 10 | Chelsea | 38 | 6 | 52 |
| 11 | Fulham | 38 | -4 | 52 |
| 12 | Newcastle | 38 | -2 | 49 |
| 13 | Everton | 38 | -3 | 49 |
| 14 | Leeds | 38 | -7 | 47 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 38 | -10 | 45 |
| 16 | Nottingham Forest | 38 | -3 | 44 |
| 17 | Tottenham | 38 | -9 | 41 |
| 18 | West Ham | 38 | -19 | 39 |
| 19 | Burnley | 38 | -37 | 22 |
| 20 | Wolves | 38 | -41 | 20 |
| Player | Goals |
|---|---|
| E. Haaland (Manchester City) | 27 |
| Thiago (Brentford) | 22 |
| O. Watkins (Aston Villa) | 16 |
| João Pedro (Chelsea) | 15 |
| M. Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest) | 15 |
| D. Calvert-Lewin (Leeds) | 14 |
| V. Gyökeres (Arsenal) | 14 |
| D. Welbeck (Brighton) | 13 |
| E. Kroupi (Bournemouth) | 13 |
| J. Mateta (Crystal Palace) | 12 |
| B. Mbeumo (Manchester United) | 11 |
| B. Šeško (Manchester United) | 11 |
| H. Ekitike (Liverpool) | 11 |
| Richarlison (Tottenham) | 11 |
| Z. Flemming (Burnley) | 11 |







