Who Scores Tonight? Kane, Ronaldo and Álvarez Top Our World Cup Goalscorer Picks
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Harry Kane Poised to Punish Panama Once Again
Of the six matches on the card at the 2026 World Cup tonight, it’s difficult to overlook Harry Kane as the standout option to find a goal, given his track record against his upcoming opponents.
As mentioned in our England vs Panama prediction, Kane famously dismantled Los Canaleros during the 2018 World Cup, scoring a hat-trick in a commanding 6-1 victory that still stands as the Three Lions’ biggest-ever in the global tournament.
Despite being kept quiet in the goalless draw against Ghana, England’s underlying numbers against the Black Stars - which included 19 shots (14 from inside the penalty area) and 1.28 expected goals (xG) - suggest that Kane should get plenty of service tonight against Panama.
The Bayern Munich striker has already scored twice in the tournament and remains in the race for the Golden Boot. Being England’s first-choice penalty-taker is another major positive for Kane, with Panama expected to defend deep for large periods of tonight’s clash in New Jersey.
Cristiano Ronaldo Still Thriving on Football's Biggest Stage
Cristiano Ronaldo continues to defy age, and the Portugal captain once again looks like one of the standout goalscoring candidates as Roberto Martinez’s side takes on Colombia in a decisive Group K showdown at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
We pointed out in our Colombia vs Portugal prediction that even at 41, the global superstar has already reminded the football world why he remains one of the game’s greatest finishers. After drawing blank against DR Congo, Ronaldo responded emphatically by scoring twice in a commanding 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan.
Those goals saw Ronaldo become the first player in history to score at six different World Cups!
With his first-half brace against the White Wolves at NRG Stadium on Tuesday, the Al Nassr skipper also took his World Cup tally to 10 goals, surpassing Portuguese legend Eusebio as the nation’s leading scorer in the tournament’s history.
There is also plenty riding on tonight’s contest. While Colombia have already secured their place in the knockout rounds, Portugal can leapfrog them into first place in Group K with a victory, and few players relish the biggest occasions quite like Ronaldo.
Julián Álvarez Ready to Seize His Opportunity
While much of the attention surrounding Argentina has centred around Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez could prove to be the standout goalscoring pick when the defending champions face Jordan in their final Group J fixture at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
With Argentina assured of top spot, as shown in our World Cup predictions, head coach Lionel Scaloni has already confirmed that he will rotate his squad and rest several key players for their match tonight, which should see Álvarez lead the line from the off for the first time in this tournament.
Messi will start Argentina’s final Group J match against Jordan on the bench!
Despite featuring as a substitute in the team’s 3-0 and 2-0 wins over Algeria and Austria, respectively, Álvarez is widely considered one of the most complete attackers in world football and is coming off an excellent season, scoring 20 goals and providing nine assists for Atlético Madrid.
If Álvarez is handed a starting berth, this match looks set up perfectly for him. His ability to exploit spaces between defenders, attack crosses into the box, and press aggressively makes him an ideal focal point against a Jordan defence that has struggled to cope with sustained pressure in this tournament.
