Hard-pressed England opens the World Cup with a win over Croatia

England secured a strong start to their World Cup 2026 campaign, defeating Croatia 4-2 in a dynamic match. The victory places England in a favorable position in Group L, awaiting the outcome of the Ghana versus Panama game.

The match kicked off with an early penalty for England after Luka Modrić fouled Noni Madueke. Harry Kane's initial penalty was saved by goalkeeper Dominik Livaković, but the keeper had moved too early, leading to a successful conversion on the second attempt. Croatia, however, demonstrated resilience. Ten minutes before halftime, Martin Baturina equalized with a hard-hit shot from the edge of the box, beating England's Jordan Pickford. Kane quickly restored England's lead with a header from a Declan Rice corner, but Croatia found another equalizer just before the break through Petar Musa, assisted by Ivan Perišić.

England came out strong in the second half, with Jude Bellingham scoring in the 47th minute to put them ahead for the third time. The English offense then exerted significant pressure, launching numerous shots on goal. Croatian goalkeeper Livaković put on a remarkable display, making numerous saves and keeping his team in contention for much of the second half. In the first fifteen minutes after halftime, England registered nine shots, eight of which were on target.

Despite Livaković's heroics, England eventually sealed the win. Marcus Rashford, coming off the bench, scored in the final five minutes with a cross-shot, concluding the match. England's next match is scheduled against Ghana on Wednesday, June 23.