Football
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Gareth Southgate wouldn't swap Harry Kane for anyone after hat trick

Gareth Southgate was full of praise for England's hat trick hero Harry Kane, saying he "wouldn't swap him for anyone in the tournament" after the Three Lions' 6-1 World Cup win over Panama on Sunday.

Kane's three goals included two penalties and a deflection he knew little about to move ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku in the Golden Boot race.

Asked how Kane compared to the likes of Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Southgate said the Tottenham man was on par in terms of pure striking ability.

"Look, he's there, he's up at the top. We wouldn't swap him for anyone in the tournament in terms of No. 9s," Southgate said. "You 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 in the way he presses, holds the ball up, contributes to the overall game. He's not just a player that stands up front and waits for chances and that's important within the ethic of the team we're trying to create."

England went into half-time with a 5-0 lead and each team scored once in the second half, leading Southgate to say it was an odd game after the high emotions of Kane's late winner to beat Tunisia in their first game.

"It's strange because I enjoyed the win against Tunisia more because of the tension in it and the fact that you get over the line when you're really under pressure," Southgate said. "It was very, very special.

"Just before half-time the game was done today, so it was a very, very strange feeling watching the second half, just trying to encourage the players to keep professional in the way that they played and be a top team by being ruthless.

"I was pleased the captain got his hat trick because it meant he had the hump less when I brought him off because I know the importance for him of scoring goals.

"Very strange because I think we probably at times played better the other night than we have done today, but today we were really ruthless in front of goal.

"A different type of challenge and I know how many people have been watching at home on a Sunday afternoon, so it was lovely that we could give them goals to celebrate.

"I think they can see what we're trying to do and the way we're trying to play and that the players are enjoying their football. You don't get many opportunities to play in a game like that for England."

Ruben Loftus-Cheek was the only England player to be booked, and with the fair play ranking a strong possibility to decide who tops the group, Southgate said he was "really pleased that we didn't get involved and come out with just that one yellow."

If England draw against Belgium in their group-stage finale and manage not to book up more yellow cards then their opponents, then Southgate's men will finish top.

"We would want to keep momentum and keep progressing as a team," Southgate added. "I've heard talk of, 'Is it better to finish first or second?' I am not sure how we're going to work all of that out really so let's just go and enjoy the game again.

"It's nice that it's a game where we're not up to our neck in pressure. We have got some decisions to make because the harmony of the group is important to me."

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