Kane scores twice as England defeats Croatia 4-2 in World Cup qualifier

Harry Kane spearheaded England's dominant 4-2 victory against Croatia in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, marking the team's strong start to the tournament. Kane netted two goals, solidifying his status as England's joint all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 10 goals, alongside Gary Lineker.

He also became the second English player, after David Beckham, to score in three consecutive World Cups. England took an early lead with Kane's penalty in the 12th minute, but Croatia equalized before Kane restored England's advantage with a header just before halftime. Croatia, however, managed to score again just before the break, leveling the score at 2-2.

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Thanks to the coach, we won. At halftime, the coach said, 'Even if we lose, let's lose our way.' The players moved actively according to the instructions in the second half.

Following a tense first half, England's coach, Thomas Tuchel, rallied his players, urging them to adopt a more aggressive offensive strategy. This tactical shift proved effective as England dominated the second half. Jude Bellingham extended their lead early in the second half, and Marcus Rashford sealed the victory with a late goal in the 85th minute.

Kane's performance extended beyond scoring; he also contributed significantly to defense, actively participating in blocking shots and making crucial interventions near his own goal in the final moments of the match. The win places England at the top of Group L, alongside Ghana, who defeated Panama 1-0.

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Let's play our way, offensively.