Harry Kane scored twice and broke a World Cup record as England overcame a spirited Croatia 4-2 in a thrilling Group L opener in Dallas…reports London Daily News Desk
England began their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in emphatic fashion, overcoming a resilient Croatia 4-2 in a pulsating Group L encounter at the Dallas Stadium on Thursday (IST), with Harry Kane scoring twice before Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford sealed the victory.
The Three Lions were made to work hard for the win as Croatia twice fought back in a thrilling first half. Kane’s brace was cancelled out by strikes from Martin Baturina and Petar Musa, leaving the teams level at 2-2 at the break. However, England’s dominance after halftime proved decisive, with Bellingham restoring the lead moments after the restart before Rashford wrapped up the result late on.
Kane also etched his name into the record books by becoming the player with the most World Cup penalty goals in regulation time, taking his tally to five.
Croatia started brightly and threatened early, forcing England to remain alert. However, it was Gareth Southgate’s side that struck first in the 12th minute. Noni Madueke won a penalty after being brought down by veteran midfielder Luka Modric while chasing a loose ball in the box.
Although Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic initially saved Kane’s penalty, the effort was ordered to be retaken due to encroachment by Josko Gvardiol. Kane made no mistake with his second attempt, drilling the ball into the same corner to hand England the lead.
England looked comfortable, but Croatia hit back against the run of play through a stunning strike from Martin Baturina. The midfielder unleashed a superb right-footed effort that beat Jordan Pickford despite the goalkeeper getting a fingertip to the ball.
The equaliser sparked England into action, and they regained the lead through Kane once again. Left unmarked inside the penalty area, the striker timed his run perfectly to head home from a corner.
Yet Croatia refused to go away. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Ivan Perisic found space on the flank and squared the ball to Musa, who calmly slotted past Pickford to level the scores at 2-2 heading into the interval.
England emerged after the break with renewed intensity and reclaimed the advantage within two minutes. Bellingham drove into the penalty area from the right before firing a precise shot into the far corner beyond Livakovic.
The goal shifted momentum firmly in England’s favour as they repeatedly pushed forward in search of breathing space. Bellingham, Declan Rice and Nico O’Reilly all came close, while Livakovic produced a string of impressive saves to keep Croatia in contention.
Croatia still carried a threat on the counterattack, and Pickford was called upon to make a crucial save from Marco Pasalic midway through the second half.
England, however, finally put the contest beyond doubt late in the game. Rashford, introduced from the bench, latched onto a pass in space, cut inside the last defender and calmly finished past Livakovic to complete a memorable 4-2 victory.
The result gives England a perfect start to their World Cup campaign, while Croatia are left searching for points after an entertaining but ultimately disappointing opening outing.
Kane Joins the Club
Harry Kane etched his name deeper into England’s football history by becoming only the second English player to score 10 goals at the FIFA World Cup, achieving the feat with a brace in the Three Lions’ 4-2 victory over Croatia in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener.
The England captain joined legendary striker Gary Lineker in the exclusive club. Lineker scored his 10 World Cup goals across the 1986 and 1990 tournaments, including a six-goal haul that earned him the Golden Boot in Mexico.
Kane entered the Croatia clash needing two goals to match Lineker’s tally and accomplished the milestone before halftime. He opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 12th minute, setting another record as the first player in World Cup history to convert five penalties in regulation time, excluding shootouts. The striker then added a second with a clinical header just before the interval.
The 32-year-old’s World Cup journey began in Russia in 2018, where he finished as the tournament’s top scorer with six goals and helped England reach the semi-finals. He added two more goals at Qatar 2022, against Senegal and France, before taking his overall World Cup tally into double figures against Croatia.
Already England’s all-time leading goalscorer and one of the country’s most-capped players, Kane has been a central figure in England’s recent success, helping the team reach the 2018 World Cup semi-finals as well as the finals of UEFA EURO 2020 and EURO 2024.
His latest landmark performance inspired England to a winning start at World Cup 2026, with Jude Bellingham and substitute Marcus Rashford also finding the net as the Three Lions secured a third successive victory in their opening match of a World Cup tournament.
