One scored, another paved the way for that goal. Harry Kane and Anthony Gordon became just such a pair in England’s breathless win over DR Congo. But at the end of the match, only one person was at the center of discussion; Kane. And while praising his captain, Gordon pulled Lionel Messi, the biggest name in football history. He believes that only the best footballer of all time, Messi, has played better football than Kane this season.
England trailed 1-0 against DR Congo in the round of 32 match. As time went on, the fear of farewell was increasing. At that moment, Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka entered the field as replacements. The pace of the match changed instantly. It was Gordon who laid the foundation for two goals by attacking one after the other at the left end, and Harry Kane sent both those chances into the net to win England 2-1 to secure the last sixteen.
At the end of the match, Gordon’s voice was mesmerizing, ‘being around him (Caine) every day was a wonderful experience. Because, if you are so close to a top level footballer, you can understand how high quality a player he is. He is having a season that only the greatest footballer of all time, Lionel Messi, has managed to surpass. That’s what it says, what height is he playing now.’
The 25-year-old winger, who recently joined Barcelona, feels that Cain’s success is no coincidence. Behind this is daily hard work, discipline and incredible consistency, ‘try to learn his habits naturally when you are with someone like him. How he works, why so successful— will look into these in detail. He didn’t just arrive here by luck. Every exercise, every finishing drill, shows the same attention and dedication at every moment. He’s inspiration for all of us.’
Gordon didn’t lose faith in victory when England couldn’t find a way back into the match, ‘I never once thought they could beat us. I knew we would win. Because, I know how we work in practice. As soon as Kane took the shot, I realized that the ball would go into the net. I started celebrating right away. Many can score good goals, but Harry’s specialty is his consistency. In practice, he holds the same standard in match— every day. That’s what separates him.’
