England 4-2 Croatia: Kane Brace and Bellingham Win Opener
England beat Croatia 4-2 at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday 17 June. Harry Kane scored twice in the first half from the spot and open play, Jude Bellingham finished low across Dominik Livaković two minutes after the restart, and Marcus Rashford came off the bench to seal the result with five minutes to play. Croatia had twice equalised through Martin Baturina and Petar Musa. Thomas Tuchel's side go top of Group L on three points.
England beat Croatia 4-2 at Dallas Stadium on 17 June 2026 in their 2026 World Cup Group L opener. Harry Kane scored twice (12' pen, 42'), Jude Bellingham added the third (47'), and Marcus Rashford sealed it (85'). Martin Baturina (36') and Petar Musa (45+5') scored for Croatia.
How did England beat Croatia 4-2 in the World Cup opener?
Tuchel's side started fast. Kane converted from the spot in the 12th minute, his fifth World Cup penalty and the most by any player at the tournament excluding shootouts. Croatia's Martin Baturina equalised on 36 minutes. Kane restored the lead in the 42nd, his second of the half. Petar Musa headed Croatia level deep into first-half stoppage time, his finish coming in the fifth added minute.
England regained control two minutes into the second half. Jude Bellingham drove in from the right wing and slid a low finish across Dominik Livaković for 3-2. The lead held. Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford combined off the bench in the 85th minute, with Rashford finishing the move to put the result out of Croatia's reach.
A chaotic first half delivered four goals. The second half delivered the two England needed. The Three Lions defence remains a concern Tuchel will want to fix before the next group game.
Bellingham's match-winning moment and Kane's record
Bellingham's 47th-minute strike was the moment of the match. England had been twice pegged back in the first half. Two minutes after the restart, Bellingham collected the ball on the right, cut inside, and finished low across Livaković. The lead never came back into question after that. Signed Jude Bellingham memorabilia is part of the authenticated catalogue at MVPs.
Kane's brace took him to five World Cup penalties scored, the most ever excluding shootouts in tournament history. The first came after a 12th-minute foul in the area. The second was an open-play strike before half-time. Kane has now scored at three different World Cups, with Cristiano Ronaldo's record of five tournaments still the mark to chase.
Rashford's fourth, set up by Saka's cross from the right, was the touch that flipped the night into comfortable territory. The substitutions made the difference Tuchel needed.
What the result means for England in Group L
England sit top of Group L on three points after their Day 7 opener. Croatia, who finished third in 2022, are bottom on zero. Panama and Ghana, who play next in the group, contest the second qualifying spot.
For all the chaos in the first half, England got the result that mattered. Bellingham's second-half goal was the moment Tuchel will want to build on. Kane's penalty record is the kind of milestone collectors track in real time. Saka's right-flank pattern with the substitutes sets up the attacking rhythm that should drive much of England's tournament.