The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off its Group L stage with a blockbuster clash between two European heavyweights, England and Croatia, at Dallas Stadium in Texas on 17 June. The encounter marked a long-awaited rematch of the 2018 World Cup semi-final in Russia, where Croatia eliminated England in a devastating defeat for the Three Lions. Eight years on, five of the players who featured in that 2018 match returned to the starting line-up for England, hungry to rewrite history, and they delivered a memorable 4-2 victory in a six-goal thriller.
The action got off to a blistering start inside the opening 10 minutes. Just five minutes into the game, Kieran Trippier got the packed crowd on their feet with a spectacular free kick that came inches away from breaking the deadlock. Four minutes later, England won a penalty, and captain Harry Kane stepped up to take it. Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic denied Kane’s first attempt, but a VAR review ordered a retake after an infringement was spotted. Kane made no mistake on his second chance, slotting the ball home to give England an early 1-0 lead. Despite the early advantage, Croatia dominated possession in the opening quarter of the match, but the Three Lions held firm and grew in confidence.
Croatia leveled the score in the 36th minute, capitalizing on a misplaced pass from Jude Bellingham. Young midfielder Martin Baturina collected the loose ball and fired a precise, powerful shot past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to draw the sides level. England quickly recovered from the setback, however, and retook the lead just six minutes before half time. Declan Rice delivered a pinpoint cross into the box, and Kane rose highest to nod a brilliant header into the back of the net, notching his second goal of the game and proving why he remains one of the tournament’s top contenders for the Golden Boot.
Just before the halftime whistle, Croatia struck again to equalize. Veteran winger Ivan Perisic launched a beautiful attacking move, cutting the England defense open before playing a square pass to striker Petar Musa, who smashed the ball first-time into the net to make the score 2-2 going into the break. The two-goal first half set the stage for a dramatic second 45 minutes that did not disappoint.
The second half opened with a moment of individual brilliance from Bellingham, who made amends for his earlier error. In the 47th minute, the Real Madrid midfielder went on a stunning solo run down the right flank, cutting inside before unleashing a fierce low shot into the bottom corner to restore England’s lead at 3-2, before celebrating with his iconic trademark celebration. England piled on the pressure after that, creating a string of clear chances, including a close-range effort from Nico O’Reilly from a corner that looked destined to hit the back of the net. But Livakovic kept Croatia in the game with a string of outstanding saves, highlighted by a remarkable triple stop in the 56th minute that denied three successive England efforts.
Despite England’s dominance – they recorded 18 total shots, 10 on target and six clear big chances – they had to wait until the 85th minute to extend their lead. A quick counter-attack involving Bukayo Saka put Marcus Rashford through one-on-one with Livakovic, and the Manchester United forward coolly slotted the ball home to make the score 4-2, all but sealing the three points for the Three Lions.
In the fifth minute of stoppage time, Croatia had one final chance to pull back a third goal. From a corner, defender Josko Gvardiol found himself unmarked at the near post, poised to score from close range. In a moment that encapsulated Kane’s all-around contribution to the win, the England captain threw himself in front of the shot to block it, producing a crucial defensive intervention to preserve his side’s two-goal lead.
When the final whistle blew, England held on for a statement opening victory in Group L. The match was a thrilling showcase of attacking football, world-class individual talent and game-changing defensive moments, putting the Three Lions firmly in the driving seat in their push for group stage progression.