England made an impressive start to their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Croatia in their Group L opener in Texas. Harry Kane scored twice in the first half, while Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford added second-half goals to seal all three points for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Although Croatia fought back twice to level the score, England showed their attacking quality and finished the match strongly.
Harry Kane Gives England Early Advantage
England began the match with confidence but needed an early breakthrough to settle into the contest.
The opportunity arrived in the 12th minute when Noni Madueke was brought down inside the penalty area after Luka Modric clipped him. Harry Kane stepped up to take the penalty, but Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved his first attempt.
However, the referee ordered a retake after VAR confirmed that Livakovic had moved off his line before the kick. Kane kept his composure and converted the second attempt to give England a 1-0 lead.
Soon after, Jude Bellingham nearly doubled the advantage with a powerful run into the box, but Livakovic made another important save.
Croatia Fights Back Before Half-Time
Despite England’s strong start, Croatia responded well.
In the 36th minute, England lost possession in midfield. Petar Sucic produced some clever footwork before setting up Martin Baturina, who calmly fired the ball past Jordan Pickford to make it 1-1.
England regained the lead just six minutes later.
Declan Rice delivered a dangerous corner into the penalty area, and Harry Kane escaped his marker before heading home his second goal of the match. The strike also took Kane to 10 FIFA World Cup goals, matching Gary Lineker’s record for the most World Cup goals scored by an England player.
Croatia refused to give up.
Deep into first-half stoppage time, Petar Musa took advantage of poor defending inside the England box and finished from close range to level the score once again.
The teams went into the break tied at 2-2 after an entertaining first half.
Jude Bellingham Restores England’s Lead
England wasted little time after the restart.
Just two minutes into the second half, Jude Bellingham collected the ball on the right side, drove forward with confidence, and calmly placed his shot into the bottom corner to put England ahead for the third time.
The goal shifted momentum back in England’s favour.
Over the next several minutes, Kane, Bellingham and Nico O’Reilly all created excellent chances to extend the lead. However, Croatia’s defence and goalkeeper kept the score close.
Marcus Rashford Seals the Victory
Croatia continued to search for another equaliser during the closing stages and created a few promising opportunities.
England, however, remained dangerous on the counter-attack.
With five minutes remaining, substitute Marcus Rashford found space inside the penalty area and scored England’s fourth goal to secure a deserved victory.
His goal ended Croatia’s hopes of another comeback and ensured Thomas Tuchel celebrated a winning start as England manager at the World Cup.
Thomas Tuchel Begins World Cup Journey with Positive Result
The victory marks an encouraging beginning for England, who are aiming to win their first major international trophy since the 1966 FIFA World Cup.
Tuchel’s team displayed plenty of attacking quality throughout the match. However, the defensive lapses that allowed Croatia to score twice will likely concern the coaching staff ahead of tougher fixtures.
England’s attack, led by Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, looked sharp and creative, giving supporters plenty of reasons for optimism.
Croatia Show Fight Despite Defeat
Croatia may have lost the match, but they showed resilience throughout the contest.
Martin Baturina and Petar Musa both found the net, while Luka Modric continued to control the midfield with his experience.
Despite matching England for long periods, defensive mistakes proved costly as Croatia began their World Cup campaign without a point.
England Build Momentum Ahead of Next Group Match
England will now look to carry this momentum into their next Group L fixture as they continue their bid for World Cup glory.
Meanwhile, Croatia must recover quickly if they hope to reach the knockout stage after suffering an opening defeat in one of the tournament’s most competitive groups.