World Cup 2026: England beat Croatia 4-2 as Harry Kane equals England’s World Cup record in Dallas
England opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a pulsating 4-2 victory over Croatia in their Group L opener at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Dallas. Captain Harry Kane scored in each half to take his personal World Cup tally to 10 goals, drawing level with Gary Lineker’s all-time England record. Live scores from the tournament are tracked at our live scores centre.
England’s wild first half: penalty, header and a two-time fightback
The game caught fire early. Kane fired England in front from a retaken penalty after a VAR review, only for Croatia to hit back through a stunning long-range strike from Martin Baturina to make it 1-1. Just before the interval Kane rose to head home Declan Rice’s corner for 2-1, a goal that moved him level with Lineker on 10 World Cup goals. But Croatia’s experienced side refused to fold and Petar Musa volleyed in during first-half stoppage time to level the contest at 2-2 at the break.
Bellingham and Rashford settle it after the break
It took England just two minutes after the restart to regain control. Jude Bellingham produced a brilliant individual effort in the 47th minute to restore the lead at 3-2. Croatia’s golden generation pushed hard for another equaliser but could not breach the England defence again. In the 85th minute Marcus Rashford curled home a low strike following a fluid team move to make it 4-2 and kill the game off. England finished with a commanding 22-10 edge in shots and generated 2.82 expected goals to Croatia’s 0.54.
Kane’s record night and the Group L picture
This was Kane’s night. The brace took the captain level with Lineker on 10 goals at the very top of England’s all-time World Cup scoring list, while his retaken spot kick also made him the player with the most penalties scored (excluding shootouts) in World Cup history, reaching five. The three points send Thomas Tuchel’s side top of Group L and represent an ideal start. Yet conceding twice in the first half exposed defensive lapses in transition and set-piece marking that must be tightened. For the build-up, see our look at England’s pre-tournament injury situation.
What it means for both teams
For Croatia there was pride in defeat: Luka Modric’s veteran core twice clawed their way back into the contest, proving they can still trade blows with anyone, even if they lacked the attacking depth and legs of a younger England. For England, the cutting edge in attack and Kane’s sharpness are hugely encouraging, but the link between midfield and defence still needs work. If this England side is to finally end its long wait for World Cup glory, it must keep the attacking firepower flowing while ironing out the kind of wobble that saw it concede twice inside 45 minutes.
