England vs Croatia | Group L Openers

 

"Kane. Bellingham. Rashford. England didn't just beat Croatia — they sent a message to every team left in this tournament."

🏆 England's World Cup Statement — England 4-2 Croatia

The FIFA World Cup 2026 delivered one of its most chaotic and entertaining Group L openers as England beat Croatia 4-2 at Dallas Stadium in a match that had everything — a retaken penalty, two Croatian equalisers, a red-hot Jude Bellingham in the second half, and a Marcus Rashford cameo to seal it. Harry Kane scored twice, equalling Gary Lineker's all-time record of 10 World Cup goals for England, and Thomas Tuchel's side finished the stronger team despite some first-half defensive chaos.

Indian fans — World Cup 2026 India time and ZEE5 streaming details below!

🔴 FULL TIME RESULT — England 4-2 Croatia

Final Score: England 4 - 2 Croatia

💥 Harry Kane scored twice to equal Gary Lineker's record of 10 World Cup goals for England — and Bellingham and Rashford added two more in a second half blitz!

🌟 Croatia twice equalised in a wild first half through Baturina and Musa, but England were unstoppable after the break.

⚽ England scorers: Kane (12 pen, 42), Bellingham (47), Rashford (85)

⚽ Croatia scorers: Baturina (36), Musa (45+5)

📅 England next match: vs Ghana

📅 Croatia next match: vs Panama

📋 Match Details

Detail	Info
Match	England vs Croatia
Date	June 17, 2026 (June 17 IST night)
Kickoff	3:00 PM CT / 9:00 PM BST / 1:30 AM IST (June 18)
Venue	Dallas Stadium, Dallas
Group	Group L (also Ghana, Panama)
Watch India	ZEE5 app (Unite8 Sports)

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⚽ First Half — Chaos, Croatia Twice Level

England won a penalty in the 9th minute when Luka Modric brought down Noni Madueke — but Kane's first attempt was saved by Livakovic. The spot kick had to be retaken due to encroachment and goalkeeper movement, and Kane made no mistake second time around (12'). Croatia refused to be rattled — Martin Baturina's thunderbolt (36') levelled it, before Petar Musa calmly rolled the ball through Pickford's legs (45+5') to make it 2-2 at the break after Kane's second header had put England back in front. Thomas Tuchel was visibly frustrated at the interval.

🔥 Second Half — England Reborn

England emerged from the tunnel a completely different side. Jude Bellingham drove into the box and fired into the far corner just two minutes into the second half (47') — silencing every critic who had questioned his international impact. From that point, England's quality and energy was simply too much for an ageing Croatia midfield. Livakovic made a stunning triple save from a set piece and denied Kane twice personally, but substitute Marcus Rashford sealed it (85') — combining brilliantly with fellow sub Bukayo Saka before rolling home into the corner. England's bench had overwhelmed Croatia's veterans.

📜 The Records — Kane Makes History

Harry Kane

Harry Kane now has 10 World Cup goals for England — equalling Gary Lineker's record set at Mexico 1986. He is also only the second England player ever to score at three separate World Cups (2018, 2022, 2026), alongside David Beckham. With the Golden Boot very much in his sights, Kane will be hungry for more against Ghana in the next group game.

Stat	Detail
⚽ Kane World Cup Goals	10 — equals Gary Lineker's England record
🌟 Bellingham	First World Cup goal — his best tournament performance yet
🔄 Rashford	4th substitute goal for England — only Defoe has more (7)
📊 xG	England 2.8 from 22 shots — Croatia 0.71 from 10
🛡️ Historic	Only 8th World Cup game ever where both teams scored twice in the first half

🌟 Player Ratings

Player	Rating	Note
Harry Kane	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 9/10	Historic brace, record-equalling night
Jude Bellingham	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 9/10	Dominant in second half, goal + assist
Marcus Rashford	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8/10	Decisive off the bench
Noni Madueke	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 7/10	Bright and direct, won the penalty
Dominik Livakovic	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8/10	Brilliant for Croatia, kept score respectable
Martin Baturina	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 7/10	Stunning equaliser, Croatia's best

📊 Group L Standings After Matchday 1

Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
England	1	1	0	0	+2	3
Ghana	1	1	0	0	+1	3
Croatia	1	0	0	1	-1	0
Panama	1	0	0	1	-2	0

📺 How to Watch in India

• 📱 ZEE5 app — Live streaming
• 📺 Unite8 Sports 1 / Sports 1 HD — Live TV
• 📡 DD Sports — Free broadcast (Quarter Finals onwards)
• 🎙️ Commentary in English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bangla

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"Indian fans searching for England vs Croatia World Cup 2026 highlights — full match recap above. England Group L results and next fixture at WorldCup26Tips."

❓ FAQ — England vs Croatia World Cup 2026

Q: What was the final score of England vs Croatia?
A: England 4-2 Croatia in Group L at Dallas Stadium on June 17, 2026.

Q: Did Harry Kane break Gary Lineker's record?
A: Not yet — he equalled it with 10 World Cup goals for England. One more goal will make him England's outright all-time World Cup top scorer.

Q: Who scored for England?
A: Harry Kane (12 pen, 42), Jude Bellingham (47) and Marcus Rashford (85).

Q: Who scored for Croatia?
A: Martin Baturina (36) and Petar Musa (45+5).

Q: What is England's next match at World Cup 2026?
A: England face Ghana in Group L. Croatia face Panama.

Q: What is Group L?
A: Group L features England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama.

Also Read: Germany 7-1 Curaçao Match Report — World Cup 2026

FIFA World Cup 2026 India mein ZEE5 par live dekha ja sakta hai! England ne Croatia ko 4-2 se haraaya — Kane ka historic brace, Bellingham ka dhamaakedar goal! WorldCup26Tips ko bookmark karein! 🇮🇳⚽

Can England go all the way after this statement win? Drop your prediction below! 👇⚽