England kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L campaign in dramatic style with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Croatia, surviving two Croatian comebacks before finishing strongly in a pulsating contest.
The Three Lions dominated large spells of the opening half and were rewarded in the 36th minute when captain Harry Kane calmly converted from the penalty spot to hand England a deserved lead.
Croatia refused to back down. Martin Baturina stunned the England faithful six minutes later, finishing brilliantly after a clever assist from Petar Sučić to bring Zlatko Dalić’s side level and swing momentum their way.
Just as Croatia looked set to head into halftime on equal terms, Kane struck again deep into stoppage time. Declan Rice released the Bayern Munich striker with a perfectly weighted pass, and Kane made no mistake to restore England’s advantage at 2-1 before the break.
The second half exploded into life almost immediately. Petar Musa punished England’s shaky defending in the 47th minute to level the score once again, setting up a tense and fiercely contested battle.
With Croatia growing in confidence and England searching for inspiration, Jude Bellingham delivered the decisive moment five minutes from time. The midfielder fired home a crucial winner to finally break Croatian resistance and ignite celebrations among the England supporters.
Marcus Rashford added the finishing touch in stoppage time, converting Bukayo Saka’s assist to seal a memorable 4-2 triumph and underline England’s attacking quality.
The victory gives Gareth Southgate’s men the perfect start in Group L and strengthens their status as one of the tournament favourites, while Croatia will rue missed opportunities after twice fighting back bravely.
Top Performer: Harry Kane.
England’s captain led from the front with two clinical first-half goals and provided the composure his side needed in key moments.
Jude Bellingham’s 85th-minute winner
After Croatia had twice clawed their way back into the game, Bellingham’s late strike finally tipped the balance in England’s favour and paved the way for Rashford’s late insurance goal.
