For years the narrative around Harry Kane was inescapable: best striker of his generation, zero hardware to show for it. Club trophies, international glory — all of it somehow just out of reach. At the 2026 World Cup in Group L, Kane finally got to write a different ending, at least one chapter of it. He put England up 2-0 against Panama in the 66th minute, and in doing so became the outright all-time leading goal scorer in England men's national team history. The 'uncursed' era is officially open for business.
Kane's record-breaking goal, with teammates mobbing him near the touchline as the scoreboard ticks to 2-0.
On the other side of the result, Panama leaves this tournament with a distinction nobody wants. They finished as the only team in the entire 2026 World Cup field without a single goal to their name — a brutal way to exit the sport's biggest stage. The final scoreline in New York told the whole story: England 2, Panama 0, and a sad little goose egg next to Panama's name for the entire group stage.
The final moments of England's 2-0 win sealed Panama's fate as the tournament's only scoreless team.
After the final whistle in New York, England's supporters delivered one of the best recurring bits in international soccer. The stands erupted into a chorus of the Beatles' 'Hey Jude' — the tribute that English fans have turned into a calling card for Jude Bellingham. It hits every time and it hit again here. There's something almost unfair about being 22 years old, playing in a World Cup, and having 50,000 people serenade you with a classic rock anthem every time you play well.
England fans in red jerseys filling the stadium with 'Hey Jude' for Bellingham after the final whistle.
And then there was Big Cat, watching all this Kane glory unfold and doing what Big Cat does — pivoting immediately to the Cubs. His takeaway from the whole Ghana witch doctor lifted-the-curse narrative? Simple: get that witch doctor on payroll in Chicago, because the pitching staff needs a miracle more than Kane needed one. Honestly, hard to argue with the logic. Kane's curse is broken. The Cubs' rotation remains very much hexed.