Texas: England kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in style with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Croatia in their Group L encounter at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday.
Captain Harry Kane starred with a brace, while Jude Bellingham and substitute Marcus Rashford also found the net as Thomas Tuchel’s side secured all three points despite a spirited challenge from Croatia.
England took an early lead after Noni Madueke was brought down inside the penalty area by Croatia captain Luka Modric in the 11th minute. Kane’s initial spot-kick was saved by goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, but a VAR review determined that Livakovic had moved off his line before the ball was struck. The England skipper made no mistake with the retaken penalty, putting his side ahead.
Croatia responded strongly and restored parity in the 36th minute. Luka Sucic produced a driving run before squaring the ball to Martin Baturina, who unleashed a powerful finish beyond Jordan Pickford to cap a sustained spell of Croatian pressure.
However, England regained control before halftime as Kane struck again in the 42nd minute, giving Tuchel’s men a crucial advantage heading into the break.
Bellingham extended England’s lead with a superb second-half effort, showcasing his quality on the biggest stage, before Rashford added a late goal after coming off the bench. Croatia managed another goal but could not prevent England from opening their tournament with an impressive win.
Kane’s brace also saw him achieve several notable milestones. The Bayern Munich striker became only the second England player to score in three different FIFA World Cup tournaments — 2018, 2022 and 2026 — joining former captain David Beckham, who achieved the feat in 1998, 2002 and 2006.
The 32-year-old also moved level with Gary Lineker as England’s joint-highest scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 10 goals.
In another landmark achievement, Kane set a new World Cup record for the most penalties scored in regulation play, taking his tally to five and surpassing all previous players in tournament history.
Croatia’s Ivan Perisic also entered the record books during the match. The veteran winger became only the second player to register an assist in four separate FIFA World Cup editions, joining Argentina legend Lionel Messi in an exclusive club.
The victory gives England an ideal start to their World Cup campaign and reinforces their credentials as one of the leading contenders for the title.
