Harry Kane scored his 12th and 13th World Cup goals on Wednesday, lifting him above Pele in the all-time scoring charts and level with France's Just Fontaine.
What happened?
Kane's goals helped England secure an anxious victory over DR Congo, opening up a path to a last-16 tie with Mexico.
Why it matters for Harry Kane
The 32-year-old's numbers have taken another stride towards the extraordinary, with 20 goals in major tournaments and 84 in total for his country, 31 ahead of Wayne Rooney, England's next most prolific scorer.
Kane's off-field earnings will run into the multi-millions now he is a Champions League regular with Bayern Munich.
What comes next?
Despite his impressive performance, Kane's profile remains modest, with 18.7m followers on Instagram, half of Haaland's audience and a fraction of Mbappe's 132m.
Misha Sher, founder of One of Not Many and athlete marketing expert, says Kane has shown what he can deliver at the highest level, but may not have the appetite to be a global star.
Kane has partnerships with Oura Ring, Google Gemini, Eveready, and Allianz, but his choice of boot manufacturer, Skechers, is a relatively modest outfit compared to Nike, Adidas, Puma, and New Balance.
Rich Johnson, a sports marketing expert, says the doors are open for Kane to increase his global presence, but it remains to be seen if he will take advantage of the opportunities.
The World Cup has seen other players, such as Messi, Mbappe, and Erling Haaland, take on more prominent roles as poster boys, with Kane content to reside on the periphery of the spotlight.
Kane's performance on the pitch continues to impress, with his goalscoring records likely to keep falling, but his global brand presence remains a work in progress.
As the World Cup progresses, Kane will have the opportunity to increase his profile and cement his status as one of the greatest goalscorers of his generation.
On the field, Kane will continue to lead England, with his next match against Mexico in the last-16 tie, as he looks to add to his impressive goal tally and help his country advance in the tournament.
With his current form and partnerships, Kane is well on his way to becoming a global superstar, but it remains to be seen if he will take the necessary steps to increase his brand presence and reach a wider audience.
Kane's story is one of continued success on the pitch, with his off-field presence still developing, as he looks to make a lasting impact on the world of football.
The future is bright for Kane, with his talent and dedication to the sport, and his fans will be eager to see what he achieves next, both on and off the pitch.