Kane leads the pack as FIFA unveils 8-goal shortlist for round of 32’s best strike
By Luke Oluoch, July 4, 2026FIFA has once again released an eight-goal shortlist for the outstanding goal of the 2026 World Cup round of 32 games that culminated on Saturday, July 4, 2026, across North America.
Harry Kane’s sublime second goal against DR Congo is among the bunch of brilliant strikes fans will choose from among the best goals.
Messi-Kane- Mbappe battle
England’s talisman’s unstoppable strike en route the Three Lions’ 2-0 win over the Leopards will battle it out against Lionel Messi’s goal against
The shortlist revealed on Saturday, July 4, 2026, comes after the group-stage vote for the best goal was won by Uzbekistan captain Eldor Shomurodov.
The shortlisted goals
Kaishu Sano (Japan)
Sano intercepted the ball halfway up the pitch and carried it up the pitch before finding the precision and composure to guide a low 20-yard shot past the dive of Alisson Becker and inside the right-hand post for his first-ever international goal.
Antonio Nusa (Norway)
v Côte d’Ivoire (1-0), 30 June
From the left side of the box, the Norway winger jinked inside Nicolas Pepe and produced a magnificent curling finish around Yahia Fofana and into the far corner of the goal.
Kylian Mbappe (France)
v Sweden (1-0), 30 June
With dancing feet, France’s record goalscorer cut inside Sweden’s Viktor Gyokeres and flashed the ball across goalkeeper Jakob Widell Zetterstrom to leave the far corner of the net bulging.
Julian Quinones (Mexico)
Released down the left on a counter-attack, Quinones carried the ball into the penalty area before smashing a shot into the roof of the net for the co-hosts’ breakthrough goal.
Harry Kane (England)
v Congo DR (2-1), 1 July
Collecting on the edge of the box, the England captain turned in the D and worked the ball into space in the box before unleashing a scorching shot high into the Congo DR net for his fifth goal of these finals and one of his very best for the Three Lions.
Ismaila Sarr (Senegal)
Racing to gather Moussa Niakhate’s long, angled pass from deep, the Senegal star collected the ball magnificently on his chest before entering the area and blasting it high past Thibaut Courtois for one of the most emphatic finishes of these finals.
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
v Cabo Verde (1-0), 3 July
The movement was intelligent, the first touch typically sublime and the finish into the roof of the net instinctive. This was Lionel Messi’s 20th World Cup goal, and it extended his all-time record in style.
Lopes Cabral (Cape Verde)
v Argentina (2-2), 3 July
The Cape Verdean left back cut inside past a despairing challenge before whipping a right-foot shot from the angle of the penalty box into the top-right corner past Emi Martinez’s despairing dive.