England secured a spot in the World Cup's last-16 after captain Harry Kane scored two late goals to defeat DR Congo 2-1. However, the team's performance has drawn sharp criticism from Daily Mail readers, reflected in their player ratings.
Kane received the highest rating among readers, scoring an average of 8.7 out of 10 for his match-saving brace. Despite the victory, six other England players were rated below 4.5.
Marcus Rashford was given the lowest average rating of 3 out of 10. The winger struggled to make a significant impact on the left flank and was substituted shortly after the hour mark. Noni Madueke, another winger, received a rating of 4.3.
England's defense also faced criticism. Djed Spence was rated the lowest among defenders at 3.8, with center-backs Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi receiving 4 and 4.5, respectively. Left-back Nico O'Reilly's rating was 4.9.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was rated 4 out of 10, with readers noting his failure to save Brian Cipenga's opening goal for DR Congo.
Midfielders Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice received middling scores of 5.9 and 5.8. Rice was later moved to right-back as the team pushed for a result and was substituted in the 90th minute, reportedly with cramp.
Jude Bellingham, another starter, scored 6.4. He had come close to equalizing in the first half with two saved shots, but also received a yellow card.
Substitute Anthony Gordon was the second-highest rated player at 7.1, having provided assists for both of Kane's goals. The winger's cross led to the equalizer, and he set up Kane for the winning goal with a pass to the edge of the box.
Other substitutes who received ratings included Eberechi Eze (5.3) and Bukayo Saka (5.6). 
