England starts World Cup bid with dominant 4-2 win over Croatia

England began their quest for a World Cup title, which they haven't won in 60 years, with a decisive 4-2 victory over Croatia. The match, held at Dallas Stadium in Texas, marked a strong start for the 'Three Lions' in the 2026 North American World Cup qualifiers. This win served as sweet revenge for England, who were defeated 2-1 by Croatia in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals. Croatia, the surprise runner-up eight years ago, faced a difficult opening to their campaign with this loss.

England's star striker Harry Kane proved instrumental. In the 9th minute, a handball by veteran Croatian midfielder Luka Modrić following a corner kick resulted in a penalty for England. Although Croatia's goalkeeper Dominik Livaković initially saved Kane's shot, the referee, after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, ordered a retake. The review determined that Livaković's feet were off the goal line before Kane kicked the ball. Kane successfully converted the retaken penalty in the 12th minute with his right foot, opening the scoring for England.

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The victory avenged England's 2018 World Cup semi-final loss to Croatia.