Newcastle legend Alan Shearer has warned that England can’t rely solely on the brilliance of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham to win the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Following narrow victories where the duo repeatedly bailed out the team, Shearer emphasized that defensive consistency and contributions from other squad members are essential to secure tournament glory.
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He also highlighted that while Kane and Bellingham are world-class talents capable of producing magic, the Three Lions will be punished by tougher opponents if they don’t tighten up defensively and improve their overall team performances.
“What we’ve learnt from England so far at this World Cup is that their two most important players by far are Bellingham and Kane.
“That was the case against DR Congo and Bellingham was really unlucky not to score, as their goalkeeper made a few brilliant saves.
“Kane in front of goal is just brilliant. But, defensively there were far too many holes in front of the back four, we gave chances away, and they scored from their first one. There’s also not enough quality n he wide areas for England.”
Harry Kane has been England’s standout performer at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, leading the Three Lions into the Round of 16 with five goals in the tournament.
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His crucial contributions, including a dramatic late brace in the knockout round, have been instrumental to England’s campaign
Kane single-handedly rescued England from a shock exit, scoring a 75th-minute equalizer and a brilliant 86th-minute match-winning strike to secure a 2-1 comeback victory in Atlanta.
His five goals place him firmly in the race for the 2026 Golden Boot alongside global stars like Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi
