That is a penalty - Alan Shearer Insists England should have had a spot kick against DR Congo

Former England captain Alan Shearer has sparked fresh debate after insisting the Three Lions should have been awarded a penalty during their 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash against DR Congo.

England found themselves trailing 1-0 after Brian Cipenga's early strike at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with Thomas Tuchel's side struggling to break down a resilient Congolese defence.

As England searched desperately for an equaliser, controversy erupted when Kane went down inside the penalty area following a challenge from the DR Congo goalkeeper.

While the referee waved play on, Shearer strongly disagreed with the decision.

"There is contact, there is no doubt. For me that is a penalty," Shearer said during BBC's live coverage.

He added, "Kane may have made the most of it but the keeper has come out and his hands are there. If he's going to come rushing out like that with his hands, as a forward you have every right to make a connection and go down."

Despite dominating possession after falling behind, England struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against a disciplined DR Congo side that continued to defend resolutely.

The African nation, one of the surprise packages of the tournament, looked determined to produce one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by knocking out one of the pre-tournament favourites.