England Outclass Croatia 4-2 In Thrilling World Cup Opener

England began their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with an entertaining 4-2 victory over Croatia in a thrilling Group L encounter on Wednesday night.

The Three Lions took an early lead after captain Harry Kane converted a penalty in the 12th minute following a foul inside the box.

However, Croatia responded strongly and drew level in the 36th minute when Martin Baturina found the net after a well-worked attacking move.

England regained control six minutes later as Kane struck again, finishing off a move created by Declan Rice.

The lead was short-lived, though, with Petar Musa scoring deep into first-half stoppage time to ensure the teams went into the break level at 2-2.

The second half belonged to England. Jude Bellingham restored his side's advantage just two minutes after the restart, finishing confidently after receiving a pass from Elliot Anderson. Tomas Tuchel men continued to create chances and eventually sealed the result in the 85th minute when Marcus Rashford converted Bukayo Saka's assist.

England enjoyed a slight edge in possession with 52 percent and were far more aggressive in attack, producing 22 shots compared to Croatia's 10.

Croatia's goalkeeper was kept busy throughout the contest, making seven saves to prevent an even heavier defeat.

The result gives England an ideal start to their World Cup campaign, while Croatia will look to bounce back in their next Group L fixture.