England launched their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a pulsating 4-2 victory over Croatia in Dallas, Texas, with captain Harry Kane scoring twice in a match that swung repeatedly before Jude Bellingham and substitute Marcus Rashford sealed the win for Thomas Tuchel's side.
The game, played in front of 70,000 spectators at the air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys, began with early controversy. Croatia captain Luka Modrić — the 40-year-old Real Madrid veteran playing his 199th international — fouled Noni Madueke in the penalty area, earning a spot kick. Kane's initial effort was saved by goalkeeper Dominik Livaković, but the referee ordered a retake after video review showed Livaković had moved off his line too early. Kane converted at the second attempt. The goal took him to 10 World Cup goals, matching former England striker Gary Lineker's record, and also made him only the second English player after David Beckham to score at three separate World Cups, having previously netted in 2018 and 2022.
Croatia, runners-up at the 2018 World Cup, showed their resilience by levelling through a sharp strike from Martin Baturina before Kane restored England's lead with a header from a Declan Rice corner. The drama was not done: Croatia equalised again on the stroke of half-time when Petar Musa finished from close range, sending both sides into the break level at 2-2. Tuchel used his half-time team talk to refocus his players, telling them simply, as Kane later relayed, to stop protecting a lead they did not yet have and play to their full capacity.
The message had immediate effect. Bellingham needed just 85 seconds of the second half to restore England's advantage, running onto a through ball and rolling it into the corner to make it 3-2. Livaković kept Croatia in contention with a string of fine saves, and the Croatians pressed for an equaliser, only to be caught by a late counter-attack. Substitute Bukayo Saka released Rashford, who cut inside a defender and slotted home coolly to secure the three points with five minutes remaining.
The 4-2 scoreline was England's first by that margin at a World Cup since their famous victory over West Germany in the 1966 final — the last time England won a major international trophy. The result placed England top of Group 12, while Croatia face the immediate pressure of recovering from a second consecutive disappointing tournament opener.