England beat Croatia 4-2 in World Cup opener
Post-match reports recorded England's 4-2 win over Croatia in Group L of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Arlington, Texas, after a match that swung between English anxiety and attacking release. Harry Kane scored twice before half-time, including a retaken penalty, while Martin Baturina and Petar Musa twice brought Croatia level. Jude Bellingham restored England's lead shortly after the restart and Marcus Rashford added the fourth late on. The result gives Thomas Tuchel's side a strong opening position in a group that also contains Ghana and Panama, but the performance was less tidy than the scoreline: Croatia repeatedly found space in the first half and exposed England's back line. The wider story is familiar for England: elite attacking talent, huge expectation and a defensive structure that still has to convince before the knockout rounds.
For football followers in Belgium, this is mainly a tournament-shaping sport story rather than a Belgian policy story. England are among the teams many Belgian viewers, pubs, clubs and international communities track closely, while Croatia's recent World Cup pedigree makes the result a credible marker for the European field around Belgium's own campaign. The match also matters to neutral viewers because it tested whether Tuchel's England can turn attacking depth into tournament control rather than just high-scoring recovery football.
England (the Football Association's men's national team, World Cup winners in 1966) opened its 2026 campaign under Thomas Tuchel (German coach appointed England manager after Gareth Southgate's exit). Croatia (independent national team since the 1990s, World Cup runner-up in 2018 and third in 2022) remains one of Europe's strongest tournament sides. The 2026 FIFA World Cup (48-team men's tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico) places England and Croatia in Group L with Ghana and Panama. Arlington, Texas (city in the Dallas-Fort Worth area) hosted the match at AT&T Stadium. Harry Kane (England captain and Bayern Munich striker), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid midfielder), Marcus Rashford (England forward), Martin Baturina and Petar Musa (Croatia scorers), and Luka Modric (Croatia captain and Ballon d'Or winner) were central figures. Gary Lineker (former England striker) is the World Cup scoring benchmark Kane matched.
Background
Post-match reports framed the fixture as a rematch with scars because Croatia beat England 2-1 after extra time in the 2018 World Cup semi-final before losing the final to France. The same reports noted that England had later beaten Croatia 1-0 at Euro 2020, but the 2018 match remains the emotional reference point. AP's report also states that Kane's double took him to 10 World Cup goals, level with Gary Lineker's England record from the 1986 and 1990 tournaments. England's broader burden remains the long wait since the 1966 World Cup title.
Why now
The story is timely because England and Croatia opened their 2026 World Cup campaigns on June 17, 2026, turning a long-running rivalry into an immediate Group L result with implications for qualification and momentum.
What to watch
Watch England's defensive selection and midfield balance against Ghana on June 23, and Croatia's response against Panama the same day. Kane's chase beyond Lineker's England World Cup record is now another live tournament thread.
Sources & evidence
- Al Jazeera - Despair and delight in England-Croatia grudge match · 2026-06-18
- AP News - Harry Kane ties England's record for World Cup goals in 4-2 win over Croatia · 2026-06-18
- The Guardian - England surge to thrilling opening win in World Cup cracker with Croatia · 2026-06-17
- The Guardian - England 4-2 Croatia: World Cup 2026 as it happened · 2026-06-17
- FIFA - FIFA World Cup 2026 match centre