England opened their World Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia, a result that handed Thomas Tuchel a winning start to his first major tournament in charge and extended a long run of opening-match wins. The game was played in searing heat in Texas, inside an air-conditioned stadium that still required two and a half minute hydration breaks midway through each half. It was billed as a meeting of generations, with Harry Kane leading the England line against a Croatia side built around Luka Modric, and it delivered six goals across a frantic afternoon.
Kane put England in front from the penalty spot inside the opening quarter of an hour, the award coming after a foul on Noni Madueke. His first attempt was kept out by the Croatia goalkeeper, but the kick was ordered to be retaken because the goalkeeper had come off his line, and the captain made no mistake at the second attempt. The early lead set the tone for an open contest in which neither defence looked able to settle.
Croatia responded in style, with Baturina curling in a fine equaliser to level the match at one apiece. England regained the advantage before the interval when Kane rose highest to head home his second of the night, only for Petar Musa to bring Croatia level again at two each. The sides went in at the break with the game finely balanced and the scoring far from over.
The decisive phase came almost immediately after the restart. Jude Bellingham struck barely two minutes into the second half to put England 3-2 ahead, settling nerves that had built during a shaky opening period. Marcus Rashford then sealed the result, shaking off his marker to make it 4-2 and place the outcome beyond doubt.
Tuchel's selections proved central to the win. Bellingham, who had at times fallen out of favour, was restored to the starting line up and took control of the match in the second half, while Rashford showed composure for his goal. Well timed substitutions were also credited with shifting the momentum, and the manager won over a section of supporters who had questioned his approach after an uneven first half.
The conditions were a talking point throughout. The heat forced the scheduled drinks breaks, and even inside a climate controlled arena the players visibly tired as the game wore on. There were lighter moments too, including booing when the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders appeared on the big screen, while observers noted that rival supporters mixed in the stands without any sign of trouble.
The victory marked the fifth major competition in a row in which England have won their opening fixture, a record that offered encouragement at the start of a long campaign. With this edition of the World Cup expanded so that eight matches are needed to lift the trophy, the result represented only a first step, but the manner of the comeback gave the squad and its travelling supporters an early lift.