By Boluwatife Oshadiya| June 18, 2026
Key Points
- England defeated Croatia 4-2 to begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with three points
- Harry Kane scored twice to equal Gary Lineker’s record of 10 World Cup goals for England
- Defensive lapses remain a concern for Thomas Tuchel despite the convincing victory
Main Story
England opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia, securing a winning start under head coach Thomas Tuchel while exposing defensive weaknesses that could prove costly later in the tournament.
The Three Lions took the lead after Croatia captain Luka Modrić fouled Noni Madueke inside the penalty area. Although Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković initially saved Harry Kane’s penalty, the spot-kick was retaken after VAR intervention identified encroachment and an early movement off the goal line. Kane converted at the second attempt to put England ahead.
Croatia responded through Martin Baturina, whose powerful strike beat Jordan Pickford to level the contest. England restored their advantage when Kane headed home from a Declan Rice corner, drawing level with Gary Lineker’s record of 10 World Cup goals for England.
The Croatians refused to back down and equalised again before halftime through Petar Musa, capitalising on England’s defensive vulnerability.
England regained control shortly after the restart when Jude Bellingham finished brilliantly from a tight angle following an assist from Elliot Anderson. Despite several outstanding saves from Livaković, England eventually secured the result when substitutes Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford combined, with Rashford calmly finishing to make it 4-2.
The result extends England’s impressive record in World Cup opening matches, having lost just one of their last nine tournament openers.
What’s Being Said
“We started well and created numerous chances, but there are still areas that need improvement defensively,” England manager Thomas Tuchel said after the match.
“We punished some of their mistakes, but we also made errors at key moments,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić said while reflecting on his team’s performance.
What’s Next
- England will face their second Group-stage opponent in their next fixture as they seek early qualification for the knockout rounds.
- Croatia must recover quickly to keep their hopes of advancing alive.
- Tuchel’s coaching staff are expected to focus on defensive organisation ahead of England’s next match.
The Bottom Line: England secured the result they needed, but the performance highlighted lingering defensive issues. Against stronger opposition later in the tournament, those weaknesses could become a significant obstacle to their World Cup ambitions.
