Result England 4 - 2 Croatia, Wednesday, 17 June 2026, World Cup Group L

England triumphed over Croatia with a score of 4-2 in their first Group L match of the FIFA World Cup on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. England's Captain Harry Kane netted two goals. Croatia remained in the game with first-half equalizers from Como midfielder Martin Baturina and Petar Musa, but ultimately succumbed to England's pressure in the second half. With his two goals, Harry Kane matched Gary Lineker's record for the most goals scored by an England player in World Cup history.

In summary, it was a great performance by England, who showcased their strength by scoring four goals in their victory against Croatia, setting a strong tone for this World Cup. While not flawless, the performance was filled with quality and effort.

England took the lead twice thanks to Harry Kane, with the first goal coming from a retaken penalty after Luka Modric fouled Noni Madueke. Croatia responded each time, with Martin Baturina delivering a powerful finish and Petar Musa equalizing just before the halftime break.

Group L of the 2026 World Cup promises more excitement if these two teams maintain the same level in their upcoming matches. On the other hand, Croatia, despite the loss, played a high-quality game. They managed to equalize twice through individual brilliance, but they could not withstand the momentum with which the English team started the second half.

After their opening match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, both teams are set to play their second Group L matches on Tuesday, June 23. England will take on Ghana in Boston at 4:00 PM ET, while Croatia will face Panama in Toronto at 7:00 PM ET.

This game includes 7 players from Serie A who have been selected for the Croatia National team. The legendary Luka Modrić plays as a central midfielder for AC Milan in Serie A and serves as the captain of the Croatia national team.

Match Overview

✅  FIFA Ranking:   England is positioned 4th in the global FIFA rankings, whereas Croatia holds the 11th spot.

✅    Head-to-Head: The teams have a closely contested history. In their last 11 encounters, England has secured 6 victories, Croatia has claimed 3 wins, and there have been 2 draws.   Recent Encounter: Their latest significant matchup occurred during the group stage of UEFA Euro 2020, where England triumphed with a score of 1–0. Before that, Croatia knocked England out in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup.

✅  Implications: Under the management of Thomas Tuchel, England is entering the tournament as a strong contender, aiming to capture their first World Cup title since 1966. On the other hand, Croatia, led by the experienced Luka Modrić, continues to uphold its reputation as a consistent overachiever in major tournaments.

👉   Serie A players called up for    🇭🇷     the Croatia National team:

• Fiorentina Defender Marin Pongracic


• AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric


• Atalanta midfielder Mario Pasalic


• Torino midfielder Nikola Vlasic


• Como midfielder Martin Baturina


• Inter midfielder Petar Sucic


• Bologna midfielder Nikola Moro

👉   Click here for  Full 2026 World Cup Squad Lists – Confirmed rosters for all 48 teams.

👉  Click here for  2026 World Cup Group Stage Standings.

 



 

🏆👉 🏴 England 1 - 0 Croatia 🇭🇷

⚽️ England takes the lead in the 12th minute. Initially, goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved the penalty.  Harry Kane aimed for the right side at mid-height, and the Croatian keeper dazzled his opponent. However, Livakovic had not kept both feet on the line, necessitating a retake! This gave Harry Kane a second opportunity, and he remained cool under pressure: same side, but this time his shot was more powerful and precise, while Livakovic dove the opposite way. The penalty was awarded to England after Luka Modric's late tackle on Madueke.

 



Photo via x.com/England

 

🏆👉 🏴 England 1 - 1 Croatia 🇭🇷

⚽️ Croatia levels the score in the 36th minute. Martin Baturina finds the net for Croatia. He unleashes a powerful right-footed shot aimed at the top-left corner. Goalkeeper Pickford manages to touch it, but the shot is too powerful and settles into the back of the net. The match is now tied.



Photo credit via x.com/HNS_CFF

 

🏆👉 🏴 England 2 - 1 Croatia 🇭🇷

⚽️ England regains the lead in the 42nd minute. Goal by Harry Kane. A textbook corner kick: Declan Rice delivers a perfect ball into the area, and Harry Kane, surprisingly unmarked, rises to head it in flawlessly, putting the Three Lions back in front.



 

🏆👉 🏴 England 2 - 2 Croatia 🇭🇷

⚽️ Croatia equalized once more in the 45+5 just before the first half concluded! Petar Musa scored the goal. Pasalic sent a ball over the top, Perisic redirected it back to Musa, who calmly volleyed it past Pickford right at the end of the first half.



 

   England World Cup 2026 Squad:

• Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Manchester City)


• Defenders: Reece James (Chelsea), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), John Stones (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur)


• Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal)


• Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)

   Croatia World Cup 2026 Squad:

• Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Dominik Kotarski (Copenhagen), Ivor Pandur (Hull City)


• Defenders: Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City), Duje Caleta-Car (Real Sociedad), Josip Sutalo (Ajax Amsterdam), Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich), Marin Pongracic (Fiorentina), Martin Erlic (Midtjylland), Luka Vuskovic (Hamburg)


• Midfielders: Luka Modric (AC Milan), Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Luka Sucic (Real Sociedad), Martin Baturina (Como), Kristijan Jakic (Augsburg), Petar Sucic (Inter), Nikola Moro (Bologna), Toni Fruk (Rijeka)


• Forwards: Ivan Perisic (PSV), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marco Pasalic (Orlando City), Petar Musa (Dallas), Igor Matanovic (Freiburg).

 

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World Cup Group L Matchday 1

England - Croatia  🇭🇷

Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Local Kick-off Time: 3:00 p.m. local Dallas time
Venue: AT&T Stadium
Arlington, Texas, USA

Referee: Clément Turpin FRA (photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Nicolas Danos FRA
Assistant Referee 2: Benjamin Pagès FRA
Fourth Official: Katia Garcia MEX
Reserve AR: Sandra Ramirez MEX
VAR: Jérôme Brisard FRA
AVAR: Willy Delajod FRA
SVAR: Fedayi San SUI

⚽️ Goals:   12', (pen) 42'  Harry Kane (E),  36' Martin Baturina (C)

🟨 Yellow Cards:

✅ Official lineups - Tabellino:



Click the video to watch England vs Croatia reactions and highlights on Wednesday, 18 June 2026