England kicked off their 2026 World Cup campaign in style, securing a 4-2 victory over Croatia in their Group L opener on Wednesday. Harry Kane struck twice in the first half, though the Three Lions were pegged back on both occasions. A moment of brilliance from Jude Bellingham early in the second half restored the lead before Marcus Rashford sealed the win late on for Thomas Tuchel’s men.

The match began perfectly for England, who were awarded a penalty after Luka Modric fouled Noni Madueke. Although Kane’s initial spot-kick was saved by Dominik Livakovic, a re-take was ordered, and the Bayern Munich forward made no mistake the second time around.

England largely dictated proceedings without creating many clear chances, and their lack of sharpness was punished when Martin Baturina unleashed a 20-yard strike past Jordan Pickford into the top corner. However, the parity lasted only six minutes, as Kane rose highest to nod home Declan Rice’s corner and restore England’s advantage.

Zlatko Dalic’s men refused to back down and levelled again through Petar Musa, who volleyed home with the final kick of the first half. Yet, within two minutes of the restart, England were back in front. Bellingham latched onto Elliot Anderson’s clever pass, surged into the box and coolly slotted the ball past Livakovic into the bottom corner.

Tuchel’s half-time talk clearly had an effect, with Bellingham and Rice both forcing fine saves from Livakovic, while Nico O’Reilly headed wide from a corner. The Manchester City full-back later saw another header stopped, with Livakovic reacting well to also deny Anthony Gordon’s rebound.

Kane was next to test Croatia’s inspired goalkeeper, while Pickford showed sharp reflexes at the other end to push Mario Pasalic’s effort away. Rashford then added the finishing touch, curling a precise shot into the bottom corner after being set up by substitute Bukayo Saka.

GOAL’s England player ratings from Dallas are as follows:

Goalkeeper & Defence

Jordan Pickford (5/10): Could have done better with Baturina’s strike despite getting a touch, but redeemed himself with a strong save from Pasalic. His distribution was inconsistent.

Reece James (5/10): Delivered a few decent crosses but had limited impact in attack. Defensively solid for the most part, though caught out for Croatia’s second goal.

Ezri Konsa (5/10): Looked uneasy at times and was exposed by Pasalic’s pass before Musa’s goal. Faces competition to retain his starting spot.

John Stones (5/10): Deployed unusually on the left side of central defence, the Manchester City veteran struggled in possession and misjudged Baturina’s run before the equaliser. Not his best showing.

Nico O’Reilly (4/10): Seemed nervous and lost the ball in risky areas. Missed two headed chances from corners, though the second was well saved by Livakovic.

Midfield

Elliot Anderson (6/10): Overwhelmed occasionally but tidy on the ball. His clever through pass set up Bellingham’s decisive third goal.

Declan Rice (7/10): His corner led to Kane’s second goal and he might have had more assists had O’Reilly been sharper. Grew more dominant as the game progressed, making his substitution after the hydration break somewhat surprising.

Jude Bellingham (8/10): Combative and energetic in midfield, though he will regret losing possession before Baturina’s goal. Drove forward with intent and capped his performance with a superb solo strike early in the second half.

Attack

Noni Madueke (8/10): Earned the penalty that opened the scoring and remained England’s liveliest attacking threat, especially before the interval. His direct dribbling troubled Josko Gvardiol, and his deliveries into the box were consistently dangerous.

Harry Kane (8/10): Benefited from a second chance on his retaken penalty and added a powerful header for his second goal. Occasionally ineffective when dropping deep, but overall a strong performance from the captain.

Anthony Gordon (5/10): Worked tirelessly off the ball but failed to make much attacking impact when in possession. Replaced by Rashford in the second half.

Substitutes & Manager

Morgan Rogers (6/10): Showed promise with a few dangerous runs after replacing Rice.

Marcus Rashford (7/10): Finished clinically to seal the victory for England.

Bukayo Saka (7/10): Played a key role in creating Rashford’s goal with a smart assist.

Djed Spence (6/10): Nearly scored moments after coming on for Bellingham.

Marc Guehi (N/A): Came on for Stones in the closing stages.

Thomas Tuchel (7/10): Will need to reconsider his defensive selections, but his tactical adjustments at half-time proved decisive. Most of his substitutions contributed positively once they settled in.

How far can England go at the World Cup?