Can Kane now be caught in the Golden Boot race?

With an explosive and steady right foot Harry Kane gave his country a one-goal lead over Colombia on Tuesday night. In the process, he put greater distance between himself and the Golden Boot’s chasing pack.

His third successful penalty kick so far means the England centre-forward has six goals to his name in just 276 World Cup minutes.

Whether football really is coming home is very much up for debate. What’s not is that the Tottenham star is the firm favourite to bring back with him, whenever that may be, something to treasure.

READ MORE: How the papers rejoiced in England’s triumph

READ MORE: England win a penalty shootout – World Cup diary

READ MORE: England erupts as the Three Lions reach World Cup quarter-finals

But who is standing in the way of Kane becoming the tournament’s top striker?

Romelu Lukaku is quite possibly the nearest thing he has to a rival. Two goals behind after notching doubles against Panama and Tunisia, he wasn’t at his sharpest against Japan.

What’s not on his side is the schedule. Belgium have Brazil next, probably the toughest test possible. Chances you would have thought won’t be in plentiful supply so can the Manchester United man re-find the scoring boots?

Neymar will have to get his on too. He only has the two so far, as does team-mate Coutinho and Edin Hazard of Belgium.

With Lukaku’s fellow four-goal forward Ronaldo long since home, a number of Russians may have designs on the trophy.

Striker Artem Dzyuba and midfielder Denis Cheryshev both have three goals each to their name and the hosts gear up for Croatia in this Saturday’s last quarter final.

Beware the player with his bit between his teeth, Kylian Mbappe may only have half of Kane’s six so far, but France showed against Argentina that they have the power to go the whole way.

His double in the last 16 brought both him and the French to life.

Another two-goal second round success story was of course Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani.

Now standing on three goals, the two on-song strikers meet on Friday afternoon.

If anyone can peg back the England talisman and level things up, then the Golden Boot is no longer shared.

It will be decided by the player who has assisted the most goals, and if that is tied then it’s down to their goals-per-minute ratio.