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DON'T MISS A MOMENT OF THE WORLD CUP

Will Harry Kane be paying attention to Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland? England legend John Barnes has revealed the mindset of the national team captain as he competes for the World Cup Golden Boot, explaining how personal ambition blends with the collective goal of team success.

Messi, Mbappe, Haaland and Kane all among the early scorers

Some of football’s biggest stars made a strong start as FIFA’s marquee event kicked off in North America. In the opening round of group-stage fixtures, Ballon d’Or winners and Golden Ball contenders wasted no time in finding their rhythm.

Argentine icon Lionel Messi struck a hat-trick—becoming the oldest player ever to do so at a World Cup—securing the match ball in a dominant performance against Algeria. Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland each netted a brace for France and Norway respectively, in their encounters with Senegal and Iraq.

Kane joined the party a little later but made his mark with a deadly double as England’s Three Lions roared to a 4-2 victory over Croatia. With the tournament heating up, several of the world’s most deadly forwards are chasing history—looking to become the first player to win two Golden Boots at football’s most prestigious international competition.

World Cup Golden Boot race: Are strikers watching their rivals?

The chase for the top-scorer title is well underway, but are Kane and his fellow stars keeping track of their competition? When asked about this, John Barnes—speaking on behalf of viagogo’s ‘World Cuts’ campaign—told GOAL: “If it means helping England go through, yes. If he [Kane] feels he wants to score goals to compete against them, which could hurt the team because he may become more selfish trying to outscore them rather than doing what’s best for the team, I’m sure Harry won’t think like that or worry about that.”

He added, “Harry’s main concern will be what’s right for England. As captain, he’ll want to perform for the team. If he scores, that’s great. But if he doesn’t and Mbappe or Haaland end up with more goals, I’m sure that won’t bother him. His mindset will be about helping England succeed.”

“I think he’s more focused on winning with England than on being top scorer. I’m sure Haaland and Mbappe feel the same way. Mbappe will want to score, but if it means scoring fewer goals for France to win, he’ll accept that. France have players like Ousmane Dembele and others contributing. For me, individual honours mean nothing—and I’m sure Harry feels the same.”

Will Kane still be playing for England at the 2030 World Cup?

At 32, Kane continues to impress, showing no signs of slowing down after a career-best tally of 61 goals for Bayern Munich during another title-winning Bundesliga campaign.

England’s skipper is on track to break numerous records, but could he feature in another World Cup cycle? Barnes, who earned 79 caps for England, responded: “Well, I hope not for England’s sake, because that would mean we’ve developed other players ready to take over. Let’s focus on this World Cup before thinking four years ahead. Four years is a long time.”

He continued, “You’ve got to consider what Harry Kane will be like in four years. If we’re relying on a 36-year-old Kane then, that’s not ideal. We haven’t won the World Cup since 1966, so why worry about four years from now when we’ve only just started this one? Let’s get through this tournament first, then think about the future—maybe in one or two years’ time.”

Beckham and R9: Which World Cup haircut was the most iconic?

Kane aims to follow in the footsteps of legends as he pursues football’s ultimate prize. Already an inspiration to millions, his trademark jump-and-punch celebration is emulated by fans worldwide.

While his quiff may not inspire many imitators, international tournaments have always sparked hairstyle trends—from Carlos Valderrama’s iconic afro to David Beckham’s daring mohawk and the unforgettable ‘Cascao’ cut sported by Brazil’s R9 in 2002.

Asked which was the best, Barnes said: “Valderrama’s wasn’t really a haircut—it was just his natural hair. I don’t think he planned it like that.”

“Of course, R9’s was ridiculous—if he couldn’t play football, people would’ve called him foolish. Beckham tried all sorts of ponytails and styles. Haircuts mean nothing if you’re not a great player, and if you are, you can pull off anything. R9’s look is probably the most recognisable, but I wouldn’t let my kids get that one!”

Fans take inspiration from football heroes

To celebrate the FIFA World Cup 2026 and connect fans to the tournament’s culture, nostalgia and personalities, viagogo—the world’s leading live event ticket platform—introduced ‘World Cuts’, a unique barber shop experience recreating football’s most iconic hairstyles.

The free two-day event took place at Ruffians Barber Shop in Shoreditch, where supporters could choose a football hero’s look and walk out with a legendary World Cup-inspired hairstyle.

To mark the launch, Manchester United superfan United Strand (Frank Ilett) ended his years-long hair-growing challenge, trading his long locks for three classic World Cup-inspired looks—recreating Carlos Valderrama’s famous curls, David Beckham’s mohawk, and Chris Waddle’s timeless mullet.