England secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Croatia in their World Cup 2026 Group L opener on June 17. Manager Thomas Tuchel’s squad dominated early proceedings at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, effectively suffocating the midfield and limiting veteran playmaker Luka Modric.
Harry Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 12th minute before adding a second goal from open play in the 42nd. Jude Bellingham extended the lead to 3-2 just two minutes into the second half. Despite England's control, Croatia responded through Martin Baturina and a stoppage-time strike from Petar Musa, exposing defensive vulnerabilities in the English backline.
Tuchel’s tactical setup successfully denied the 40-year-old Modric time and space for large stretches of the match. However, Croatia’s ability to score twice without their maestro orchestrating play demonstrates significant squad depth beyond their aging star. This result continues a storied rivalry between the nations following Croatia’s 2018 World Cup semi-final win and England’s Euro 2020 victory.
While the attacking output from Kane and Bellingham validates England's offensive strategy, conceding twice remains a concern for a team entering the tournament with a perfect qualifying record. England now looks to tighten their defense as they continue their campaign in Group L alongside Ghana and Panama.