England began their World Cup campaign with a 4–2 victory over Croatia in Texas on Wednesday, delivering a strong attacking performance in a fast-paced Group L encounter.
The match, a repeat of the 2018 semi-final, saw England take control early before being dragged into a tense contest as Croatia fought back to level the game before halftime.
England went ahead from the penalty spot after Luka Modrić fouled Noni Madueke, with Harry Kane converting on the retake after the initial effort was saved by Dominik Livaković for encroachment.
Croatia responded strongly, with Martin Baturina and Petar Musa scoring to bring the game level at 2–2 after England had briefly doubled their lead.
England regained momentum immediately after the break when Jude Bellingham restored the advantage within minutes of the restart.
Despite Croatia’s efforts to push back into the game, England maintained attacking pressure and created several chances before Marcus Rashford sealed the win late on with a composed finish.
The result gives England a positive start under Thomas Tuchel as they continue their push for a first major international trophy since 1966.