World Cup Day 7 Recap
Harry Kane equalled England’s all-time World Cup scoring record, Cristiano Ronaldo continued his tournament goal drought, and former Netherlands international Rafael van der Vaart apologised after making a racist remark about Japanese players — all on a packed Day 7 of the FIFA World Cup.
Kane Equals Lineker’s England World Cup Record
Harry Kane reached 10 World Cup goals for England, drawing level with Gary Lineker’s long-standing national record, after a first-half brace in a 4-2 Group L victory over Croatia.
The Bayern Munich striker opened the scoring with a retaken penalty in the 12th minute, then headed home powerfully from a Declan Rice corner just before the break. England ran out commanding winners in what proved to be a high-scoring encounter.
“Off to a winning start. Second half set the standard for us, credit to all the boys for a huge shift,” Kane wrote on social media after the match.
England top Group L with three points. Croatia, the 2018 World Cup finalists, are bottom with none.
Ghana Edge Panama in Stoppage Time
In the other Group L fixture, Ghana defeated Panama 1-0 thanks to a Caleb Yirenkyi winner deep into second-half stoppage time. The late goal puts Ghana in a strong position heading into the next round of group matches.
Ronaldo Misfires as DR Congo Frustrate Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo’s wait for a major tournament goal continues. The 41-year-old drew a blank as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by the Democratic Republic of Congo in Group K — his 10th consecutive major tournament game without scoring.
Ronaldo has now had 33 shots across those 10 games without finding the net. The result came just one day after rivals Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland all scored at the tournament.
France legend Thierry Henry, analysing the match for US television, was pointed in his criticism. He singled out a moment when Ronaldo chose to shoot rather than square the ball to teammate Bruno Fernandes, who was better placed to score.
“The team needs to score; not you need to score,” Henry said.
Ronaldo himself was more measured on social media: “It wasn’t the start we wanted, but this is far from over. Head up and focus on the next game.”
Portugal sit level with DR Congo on one point in Group K, behind Colombia, who defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 later in the day to take control of the group.
DR Congo’s Historic First Point
The draw was a landmark result for DR Congo, whose only previous World Cup appearance came in 1974 — when the country, then known as Zaire, lost all three group games by an aggregate score of 14-0. The point, and the goal, are both firsts in the nation’s World Cup history.
A photograph circulating widely on social media captured the moment: a small cluster of DR Congo supporters, surrounded by a sea of Portuguese fans in Lisbon, cheering their team’s equaliser.
Van der Vaart Apologises for Racist Remark About Japanese Players
Former Netherlands midfielder Rafael van der Vaart issued an apology after claiming all Japanese players “look alike” during live television coverage of the Netherlands’ World Cup opener against Japan.
The 43-year-old, working as a pundit for Dutch broadcaster NOS, made the comment while discussing a defensive lapse that led to Japan’s late equaliser. After noting that defender Micky Van de Ven had lost his man, Van der Vaart added: “They do all look alike of course, perhaps he thought that.” The remark was met with silence in the studio.
In a statement published by The Athletic, Van der Vaart said: “I understand that some people found my words hurtful. I sincerely regret that. If I have upset people because of this, I offer my apologies. That was never my intention.”
He added that he wanted to “make it clear that there was no racist or discriminatory intent” behind his statement, while acknowledging that “words can be interpreted differently.”
Cape Verde Goalkeeper’s Mother to Attend World Cup After Visa Fees Waived
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha will be reunited with his mother at the World Cup after the United States government waived her visa bond payment.
The 40-year-old shot to global attention with a standout performance against Spain. He had previously revealed that his mother could not afford the bond required to obtain a US visa to attend the tournament.
Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, confirmed the US State Department had intervened to waive the fees. Vozinha’s mother is now expected to be in Miami in time for Cape Verde’s match against Uruguay.
