Harry Kane leads England to opening victory over Croatia

Captain Harry Kane struck twice to propel England to a 4-2 triumph in the England vs Croatia World Cup 2026 opener at Dallas Stadium. Thomas Tuchel secured his first major tournament victory as manager, guiding his squad past a resilient opponent in Group L.

Early pressure yielded an 11th-minute penalty after Noni Madueke was brought down. Kane converted on his second attempt following a VAR review for goalkeeper encroachment. Croatia fired back swiftly when Martin Baturina smashed a shot past Jordan Pickford to equalize. This fixture rekindles memories of the 2018 tournament, where Croatia famously eliminated England in the semifinals.

Restoring the advantage before halftime, Kane headed home his second goal. He now equals Gary Lineker’s national record of 10 World Cup goals. He also holds the global mark for the most non-penalty shootout conversions.

Jude Bellingham blasted a stunning second-half strike to extend the lead. Although Croatia threatened again with a goal from Petar Musa, substitute Marcus Rashford found the net in the 84th minute to lock down the result. England begins their campaign radiating confidence, proving their offensive firepower is ready for the world stage.

With Inputs from Agency Threads and Image Courtesy: ANI