Gonna need a bigger boot - Tuchel backs ‘shark’ Kane in race to be WC top scorer

Thomas Tuchel praised England’s “shark” Harry Kane for smelling blood like fellow World Cup stars Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.

The game’s best players have stepped up in eye-catching fashion during this summer’s tournament.

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France forward Mbappe leads the race for the Golden Boot with six goals and two assists, but Argentina star Messi is also on six and Haaland is just one behind.

Kane joined the Norway sharpshooter on five goals with his match-winning brace in England’s 2-1 World Cup round-of-32 comeback victory against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

England boss Tuchel said of the quartet: “They’re all sharks. They’re all sharks. If they smell blood, they come and score.”

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Kane collected his second man of the match award of the tournament with Wednesday’s display in Atlanta, where the skipper felt he experienced a “hero” moment.

Asked if the World Cup stars are driving each other to new heights, England head coach Tuchel said: “I don’t know.

“I mean, these big guys in this World Cup do they watch each other? Then they go like, ‘no, not with me’ and then I score, and then I do a hat-trick, and then you go. What is going on? I mean, crazy. So, so good.

“He’s our captain, he’s our leader, and decides football matches with unbelievable finishes today twice. The second one was just a brilliant goal, and happy that he’s (our player).”

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