If you blinked during the first half of this one, you missed a goal. Maybe two. England’s World Cup opener against Croatia in Dallas wasn’t just a win, it was an emotional rollercoaster that had fans screaming at their screens, arguing on X about VAR, and biting nails through every single one of the four first-half goals. By the time the dust settled, Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions had pulled off a 4-2 victory that was equal parts brilliant and absolutely bonkers.
The Penalty That Sparked a Firestorm
Just 12 minutes in, Noni Madueke darted in front of Luka Modric to nick a clearance, and the Croatian legend brought him down inside the box. Penalty to England. Harry Kane stepped up, and Dominik Livakovic guessed right, saving Kane’s tame effort to his left. Croatia’s bench erupted. For about three seconds, anyway.
Referee Clement Turpin pointed back to the spot. Replays showed Livakovic had stepped off his line early, and Josko Gvardiol had crept into the box before the kick was taken. Retake ordered.
This time Kane made no mistake, drilling it into the right side of the net as Livakovic dived the wrong way. Croatian players were furious, fans online were even more furious, with plenty calling the result “rigged” before the match had even reached the half-hour mark. Welcome to World Cup football in 2026, where nothing is simple and everyone has an opinion.
Four Goals, One Half, Zero Chill
Just as England fans were settling into their lead, Croatia hit back. In the 36th minute, Petar Sucic slipped a pass to Martin Baturina, who absolutely leathered a strike into the top corner that even a despairing Jordan Pickford couldn’t keep out. 1-1, and Dallas Stadium went from celebration to stunned silence in the time it takes to blink.
England responded almost immediately though, because that’s the kind of half this was turning into. Declan Rice swung in a gorgeous corner, and there was Kane again, unmarked, rising to head it home and restore the lead in the 42nd minute. Two goals for the captain, and he’d just equaled Gary Lineker’s all-time England World Cup scoring record of 10. Not bad for a Wednesday afternoon in Texas.
But Croatia weren’t finished writing their own chapter. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Ivan Perisic headed a long ball down to Petar Musa, who calmly volleyed it past Pickford to make it 2-2. Four goals. Forty-five minutes. Both sides walking off at halftime with their hearts somewhere around their throats.
England Find Their Roar
Whatever Tuchel said in that locker room worked wonders, because England came flying out of the gates after the break. Just two minutes into the second half, Jude Bellingham smashed a shot into the far corner to make it 3-2, and suddenly the energy in the stadium flipped entirely back in England’s favor.
Livakovic turned into an absolute wall after that, somehow denying Nico O’Reilly, Anthony Gordon, and Ezri Konsa from a flurry of corners as England searched for the killer blow. Modric, struggling against a relentless press all afternoon, was hooked off in the 58th minute on his 199th Croatia appearance, a quiet end to a frustrating night for the 41-year-old maestro.
The fourth goal finally arrived in the 85th minute, and it was a gem. Substitutes Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford linked up beautifully, with Rashford cutting inside before slotting it into the bottom corner. Game, set, match. 4-2, England top of Group L, and Kane somehow still finding the energy to throw his body on the line in stoppage time to deny Gvardiol a consolation goal.
What a Way to Start
Chaotic doesn’t even begin to cover it. England were nervy and shaky defensively, the kind of thing that’ll give Tuchel sleepless nights against tougher opposition down the line, but in attack, they were absolutely relentless. Kane etched his name further into history, Bellingham continues building his legend, and Rashford reminded everyone why he’s so dangerous off the bench. Croatia will go home wondering what might have been, especially with that penalty decision still being dissected across timelines everywhere.
Group L just got serious, and World Cup 2026 is only getting started.
Man of the Match: Harry Kane
