A record-tying first-half brace from England captain Harry Kane and a pair of second-half goals, the first from Jude Bellingham and the next from Marcus Rashford, lifted the Three Lions to a 4-2 victory over Croatia on Wednesday afternoon during the team’s opening match of 2026 World Cup Group L play.
In Arlington, Texas, a Thomas Tuchel-led England avenged a World Cup semifinal defeat to Croatia, which dashed England’s dreams in that Moscow-based match eight years ago.
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With Kane’s two goals, he tied Gary Lineker as the Three Lions’ all-time leading goal scorer at the World Cup.
Croatia teased control in the early moments of the match, but England struck first, in part thanks to a head-scratching foul from Croatia captain Luka Modrić, a 40-year-old who famously won the Ballon d’Or in 2018 and the Golden Ball as a World Cup runner-up that same year.
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This wasn’t Modrić’s day. He was subbed out around the hour mark, the stain on his uncharacteristically non-influential performance being his infraction. He swung at the ball in the box and got a whole lot of England’s Noni Madueke.
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Enter Kane, who got not one but two chances at a penalty goal in the 12th minute. His first attempt was saved by Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livaković, except, because Livaković came off his line while Kane stutter stepped, Kane was afforded a retake.
Once again, Kane went left of Livaković. That time, Livaković dove to his right, and England rejoiced as it staked itself to a 1-0 advantage.
In the 36th minute, Croatia scored the first of its two game-tying goals. This one manifested from a savvy give-and-go exchange between Martin Baturina and Petar Sučić. Baturina lofted a through ball for Sučić, who cut back in the box and then set up Baturina with a pass back out.
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Baturina turned that feed into a shot toward the left corner of the net. England goalie Jordan Pickford got a piece of the ball but not enough to stop it from hitting twine.
Soon after, in the 42nd minute, Kane found the back of the net again. He pocketed a set-piece goal after using his head to redirect a well-placed Declan Rice corner kick and put England ahead 2-1.
He’s up to 10 goals in his World Cup career.
But, just prior to intermission, Croatia answered again. A marvelous sequence paved the way for the equalizer. Mario Pašalić located Ivan Perišić, who headed the ball to the foot of Petar Musa.
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Musa, an FC Dallas forward playing not far from his MLS club’s home, one-timed the pass by Pickford to knot the score 2-2.
Fortunately for England, the speedy Bellingham broke the tie less than 90 seconds into the second half. The 22-year-old midfielder broke away after receiving a pretty ball from Elliot Anderson. He punctuated the run by kissing a shot off the far post and into the net.
England threatened to add to its lead in the aftermath of Bellingham’s goal. In fact, there was a moment when Livaković denied a trio of English chances, including two rebound opportunities at the net’s doorstep.
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Ultimately, Rashford put the exclamation point on what turned out to be a two-goal win for England. After reeling in a pass 18 yards out, he pulled the ball to his right foot and blasted a shot low and away to the far-post corner.
Livaković couldn’t snuff out that strike.
It capped a raucous-inspiring win in “Dallas Stadium,” where England’s latest quest for its first World Cup title since 1966 began in thrilling fashion.
