Spanish press – Harry Kane rescued England with two late goals against DR Congo to send the Three Lions into the round of 16, but Spanish newspaper Marca declared they “won’t get very far” at the World Cup after lingering concerns about what’s missing from their title challen
Harry Kane didn’t just rescue England in the nick of time—he pulled them away from an embarrassing World Cup exit against DR Congo, then made the late moment look inevitable. After falling behind in the seventh minute, the Three Lions couldn’t find an answer until deep into the second half.
Kane, captain on the day, equalised in the 75th minute with a header. Then, with the game still threatening to slip away, he doubled England’s tally 11 minutes later with a remarkable effort to secure a 2-1 win and book their place in the round of 16.
Spain’s media reaction was swift—and it wasn’t kind. Spanish newspaper Marca wrote that England are no longer a real threat at the tournament, declaring the Three Lions “won’t get very far” after they narrowly edged through.
Marca’s criticism didn’t begin with DR Congo, though. It leaned on how England have struggled to look like a decisive force in major tournaments under Gareth Southgate. including how they were still waiting for something more “to truly be a title contender.” The outlet referenced England’s recent history: they lost 2-1 to Spain in the Euro 2024 final. exited the last World Cup at the quarter-final stage against France. and were beaten in the previous European Championship final against Italy on penalties.
Even so, the escape against DR Congo mattered most because it set England’s next test. They will face co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City in the round of 16, with a potential quarter-final opponent then set as either Brazil or Norway.
Marca’s forecast was blunt. It predicted the last 16 would end with Brazil beating England. describing the matchup as another step toward a familiar kind of frustration. England’s saving grace. the outlet argued. is having the best number nine in the world—but claimed that still shouldn’t be enough to carry them through many more rounds.
Kane’s impact, even through the noise, was impossible to ignore. His two late goals took his World Cup tally to 13, surpassing Brazilian great Pele to move to sixth on the all-time list.
There was also a flashpoint that fed the unease around England’s performance. In the first half. Kane was controversially denied a penalty late on after being sent to the floor by DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi. with the referee gesturing that it was a dive. VAR replays showed Mpasi made contact with Kane before the Three Lions captain fell. but England were not awarded the spot-kick.
Marca framed that moment differently from England’s perspective. It said the non-penalty was an example of VAR being used “perfectly. ” and it pushed back on how inconsistent video assistance has felt elsewhere in the tournament. The publication argued: “Why has it taken so long to see VAR used correctly?. I don’t know about you. but this is the first time I’ve felt that video assistant refereeing is being used almost perfectly in a major tournament.”.
It went further. adding that the Kane decision was “just the latest example. ” urging that “the referee” should decide and only use review when an error is “blatant.” Marca also criticised what it described as “many minor penalties” that don’t even go through VAR. and even referenced “ugly but unintentional stamps” that don’t warrant a second look.
For England, the talk will now shift from survival to planning. Spain, meanwhile, are already moving on to their own knockout step. Spain finished the group stage with the same points tally as England. but had yet to advance to the round of 16 at the time of this report. Their first knockout test at the World Cup is a round-of-32 meeting with Austria at 8pm BST on Thursday.
The earliest Spain and England could meet this summer is the final, if both teams keep progressing past their respective next opponents.
Harry Kane England DR Congo World Cup 2026 round of 16 Mexico Marca Lamine Yamal Spain Austria VAR Lionel Mpasi