England secured a commanding 4-2 victory over Croatia in its opening group match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The match started with an early breakthrough for England, as Harry Kane opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a penalty. However, Croatia did not falter early on, leveling the score in the 36th minute with a spectacular goal from Martin Baturina. Just before the break, Kane put the English side back in the lead, heading home from a corner in the 42nd minute. But Croatia showed real spirit, managing to equalize at 2-2 in stoppage time before halftime via Petar Musa.
England came out stronger in the second half, taking the lead again in the 47th minute when Jude Bellingham scored from a sharply angled shot into the far corner. From that point onward, England controlled the game flow, limiting Croatia’s opportunities greatly. The decisive final touch came in the 85th minute, when Marcus Rashford sealed the 4-2 victory with a precise curling shot into the corner.
Thomas Tuchel’s side showed a significant improvement during the second half, effectively shutting down any chance of a Croatia comeback. This win marks a strong start to their tournament run, and England’s next opponent is Ghana. Conversely, Croatia, which was competitive in the initial phase, now has to refocus for their upcoming match against Panama.
