England launched their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday evening, delivering a statement result to open Group L and set the tone for what they hope will be a deep run in the tournament. It was a contest that tested the Three Lions at moments, but ultimately reflected the gulf in both squad depth and ambition between the two sides as the night wore on. For the first time since the 1966 triumph, England are daring to look like genuine contenders.
The result extended England's recent record of dominance in this fixture at major tournaments while putting to bed the ghost of Russia 2018, the last time these two sides met on the World Cup stage. The match drew vast global audiences, from living rooms in London to sports bars across Africa and South Asia, where England's following continues to grow. For those tracking other international football and basketball competitions running concurrently - including the liga abe in Mexico - this World Cup opening round is dominating the sporting conversation worldwide. England's flawless qualifying campaign, eight wins from eight without conceding a single goal, was always going to carry weight as context, but it needed validating on the big stage. Wednesday night was a strong opening argument.
England surged clear in the second half after what had been a cagey and evenly contested opening period. Croatia, unbeaten in World Cup group football across the last two tournaments and conceding only twice in that stretch before tonight, arrived with confidence and the familiar organisation that has defined Zlatko Dalić's side. Luka Modrić, making what could be his farewell World Cup appearance in his fifth such tournament, was pulled after 58 minutes with his side pushing to stay in the match. It was a telling moment - Croatia's heartbeat removed from the game at a critical juncture. Mateo Kovačić stepped into midfield, but the tempo England had begun to impose was not matched. Marcus Rashford settled the contest in the 85th minute, finishing from close range after Bukayo Saka played him through, making it 4-2 and sending the Dallas crowd - heavily populated with England supporters - into full voice.
Kane and the Weight of History
Harry Kane's evening was emblematic of the match itself: busy, dangerous in spells, not always rewarded. The Bayern Munich striker had two efforts saved by a sharp Dominik Livaković and saw another go narrowly wide late on, but his presence and movement remained central to England's attacking structure throughout. This was his 30th appearance at a major international tournament - World Cup and European Championship combined - more than any England player in history. The captain's influence goes well beyond what shows up on the scoresheet, and there is plenty of tournament still to come for him to add to his tally of eight World Cup goals across the last two editions, second only to Kylian Mbappé in that span.
Croatia's Resilience Tested and Broken
Croatia's challenge faded noticeably as England's substitutions shifted the dynamic after the 72nd minute. Rashford and Saka introduced urgency and directness that the tiring Croatian defence could not handle. Ivan Perišić, Croatia's most decorated performer in major tournament history with ten goals and eight assists across World Cups and Euros, remained a threat throughout and contributed to Croatia's pressure periods that kept Jordan Pickford engaged. But England's defensive structure - anchored by John Stones before his late withdrawal - held firm enough when it truly mattered. Dalić's double change in the 66th minute, bringing on Igor Matanović for Petar Musa and Marco Pašalić for Luka Vušković, suggested Croatia were looking to alter the shape and inject energy, but the game had already begun to swing irrevocably in England's direction.
What This Result Means for Group L
Three points and a positive goal difference from the opening fixture represents exactly the start England's management and supporters were targeting. The Three Lions have lost only one of their last eight World Cup openers - to Italy in 2014 - and this performance maintained that record with authority. Croatia, whose only win in their last five tournament openers was a 2-0 defeat of Nigeria in 2018, face a steep climb to recover, though they have demonstrated in previous editions that they are capable of regrouping. England, however, have served notice. The defensive solidity, the depth of options across the pitch, and the quality of the late substitutions all point to a side with genuine tournament pedigree. The group continues, but England have their preferred foundation.