Gareth Southgate has insisted that he "would not swap" Harry Kane for any other striker competing at the World Cup after the Tottenham Hotspur ace notched a hat-trick in England's 6-1 thrashing of Panama.
Kane became just the third England player to register three goals in a single game at the finals, following in the footsteps of Gary Lineker and Geoff Hurst, as the Three Lions booked their place in the last 16.
The 24-year-old climbed above Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku in the race for the Golden Boot, having also scored both of his side's goals in the 2-1 win over Tunisia, and Southgate believes that he has the tournament's best striker in his ranks.
"He's there, he's up at the top. We wouldn't swap him for anyone at the tournament in terms of No.9s," he told reporters after the match. "We know that when he gets opportunities he's going to bury them, you sit there very confident in his ability to take chances.
"But as important in that is the way he sacrifices himself for the team, the way he presses, holds the ball up, and contributes to the overall game. He's not a player who just stands up front and takes chances. That's important in the ethic of the team we're trying to create.
"Clearly the stage to do that is this one. He's started brilliantly. The penalty, some dismiss as being easy, but the length of time he had to wait to take it, the distractions to keep focused and refocus. It tells you a bit about the mental toughness he's got."
Kane, named England skipper ahead of the World Cup, has now scored 18 goals in 26 appearances for his national side.
Daniel Lewis
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