Harry Kane Breaks World Cup Penalty Record, Surpassing Messi

England captain Harry Kane etched his name in FIFA World Cup history during his team's opening match against Croatia, becoming the player with the most penalties scored in the tournament's history.

Kane achieved this feat in England's 4-2 victory at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, overtaking Argentina's Lionel Messi and Gabriel Batistuta, who previously shared the record with four penalty goals each.

The historic moment came early in the match when Kane won a penalty in the 12th minute. Although his initial attempt was saved by Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković, the referee ordered a retake due to encroachment by defender Joško Gvardiol. Kane made no mistake the second time, calmly slotting the ball into the same corner to give England the lead.

Croatia equalized in the 36th minute through a stunning right-footed strike by Martin Baturina, which narrowly eluded England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford despite his fingertip effort.

However, England regained control before halftime. In the 42nd minute, Kane capitalized on a well-timed run from a corner, heading the ball past Livaković to restore his team's advantage.

The match marked a strong start for England and a historic milestone for Kane, who continues to lead by example on football's biggest stage.