England 4-2 Croatia: Highlights, man of the match, stats as Harry Kane hits brace in chaotic Three Lions World Cup opener

Harry Kane scored doubly arsenic England opened their 2026 World Cup run with a 4-2 occurrence implicit Croatia at AT&T Stadium connected Wednesday.

An unthinkable archetypal fractional produced 4 goals, with Kane scoring from the punishment spot before Martin Baturina levelled; Kane past sent England backmost up soon earlier the break, lone for Petar Musa to marque it 2-2 connected the changeable of the interval.

Jude Bellingham sent England backmost up soon aft the restart, earlier Marcus Rashford netted a 4th precocious on, arsenic Thomas Tuchel's broadside secured a triumph successful their Group L opener.

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SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

Well, that was precise overmuch the bully and the atrocious for England.

Some of the defending from the Three Lions was horrendous, and the likes of France and Argentina would fancy their chances of undoing that back-line, but England are a squad to beryllium feared successful the last third, of that determination is nary doubt.

Kane came up with a brace to determination level with Gary Lineker arsenic England's all-time starring goalscorer astatine the finals of a World Cup with 10, but it was fantabulous finishes from Bellingham and Rashford that did the harm successful the 2nd period.

In truth, Croatia offered small aft the break, with the Checkered Ones yet incapable to find different portion of magic to people a 3rd against 1 of the tourney favourites.

England volition person to amended defensively if they are to beryllium superior contenders for the trophy, arsenic the Three Lions volition travel up against attacks overmuch much potent than they faced here.

However, it is simply a winning commencement and 4 goals for Tuchel's side, and that is thing that the likes of Brazil, Spain and Portugal person been incapable to execute successful the 2026 competition.

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ENGLAND VS. CROATIA HIGHLIGHTS

Harry Kane extremity vs. Croatia (12th min, England 1-0 Croatia)

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 17, 2026

England instrumentality the pb from the punishment spot successful the 12th minute, with Kane registering aft Luka Modric had fouled Noni Madueke.

Kane's archetypal effort had been saved by the Croatia goalkeeper, but VAR intervened to awesome a retake owed to encroachment from a mates of Croatian players.

Martin Baturina goal vs. England (36th min, England 1-1 Croatia)

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 17, 2026

Croatia level the scores successful the 36th minute, and it is simply a superb onslaught from Baturina, with the midfielder's effort having excessively overmuch powerfulness for England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

Harry Kane extremity vs. England (42nd min, England 2-1 Croatia)

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 17, 2026

England regain the pb successful the 42nd infinitesimal of the match, arsenic Kane heads a superb Declan Rice country into the backmost of the net. The Three Lions are backmost up here!

Petar Musa extremity vs. Croatia (45th min, England 2-2 Croatia)

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 17, 2026

All quadrate erstwhile again! England privation offside, but the extremity is given, arsenic Musa finds the backmost of the nett with a clever volley aft a set-up from Ivan Perisic.

England person struggled defensively successful the archetypal fractional of this match.

Jude Bellingham extremity vs. Croatia (47th min, England 3-2 Croatia)

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 17, 2026

England are backmost ahead, with Bellingham racing into the Croatian container earlier uncovering the backmost of the nett disconnected the wrong of the post. What an fantabulous finish!

Marcus Rashford extremity vs. Croatia (85th min, England 4-2 Croatia)

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 17, 2026

England marque definite of the triumph successful the 85th minute, arsenic Rashford cuts onto his close ft earlier placing the shot into the bottommost corner. England's substitutes person made a difference!

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MAN OF THE MATCH - HARRY KANE

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 17, 2026

What a footballer. What a subordinate for England.

Kane scored a first-half brace for the Three Lions to determination onto 10 World Cup goals, and the Bayern Munich striker was his team's standout subordinate connected the night, but a peculiar notation indispensable besides beryllium fixed to Bellingham for his publication to the cause.

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ENGLAND VS. CROATIA MATCH STATS

Possession: England 52%-48% Croatia

Shots: England 22-10 Croatia

Shots connected target: England 11-5 Croatia

Corners: England 8-2 Croatia

Fouls: England 10-12 Croatia

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BEST STATS

— Squawka (@Squawka) June 17, 2026 — Squawka (@Squawka) June 17, 2026

England person conceded 2 goals successful the archetypal fractional of a World Cup lucifer for the archetypal clip since 2010 against Germany (2). ? https://t.co/9aXYuOHVqM

— Squawka (@Squawka) June 17, 2026 — Squawka (@Squawka) June 17, 2026 — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 17, 2026

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WHAT NEXT?

England volition beryllium aiming to marque it back-to-back wins successful the conception and unafraid a spot successful the knockout circular of the tourney erstwhile they instrumentality connected Ghana connected June 23.

Croatia, meanwhile, volition effort to bounce backmost from the decision erstwhile they proceed their Group L run against Panama connected June 23.

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