Harry Kane Leads England to Victory in FIFA World Cup 2026 Opener Against Croatia

England's Strong Start in World Cup 2026

In Texas, on June 18, England's captain Harry Kane expressed pride in his team's impressive start to the FIFA World Cup 2026, following a decisive 4-2 victory over Croatia during their Group L match at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday.

Kane took to social media platform X to commend the team's performance in the second half, highlighting the collective effort that contributed to their success.

He stated, "A winning start! The second half set the benchmark for us, and I appreciate all the boys for their tremendous effort. Thank you for your support."

Kane netted two goals, while Jude Bellingham delivered a remarkable strike in the second half, and substitute Marcus Rashford capped off the scoring with a late goal, as Thomas Tuchel's squad overcame a resilient Croatian side.

England was awarded an early penalty when Noni Madueke was fouled by Luka Modric in the box during the 11th minute.

Although Dominik Livakovic saved Kane's initial penalty, VAR intervened, indicating that the goalkeeper had moved off his line prematurely, necessitating a retake. Kane successfully converted the second attempt, putting England ahead.

Croatia responded effectively, equalizing in the 36th minute with a goal from Martin Baturina, who capitalized on Luka Sucic's incisive run and cut-back to unleash a powerful shot past Jordan Pickford during a strong Croatian offensive phase.

Kane's commanding performance included two goals against Croatia, with one from the penalty spot in the 12th minute and another in the 42nd minute, ensuring a robust start for England in the tournament.

With this achievement, Kane became only the second England player to score in three different FIFA World Cups (2018, 2022, 2026), joining the ranks of the legendary David Beckham (1998, 2002, 2006).

Additionally, the Bayern Munich forward reached a significant milestone, tallying 10 FIFA World Cup goals, tying with Gary Lineker for the most by an England player.

Kane also set a new record by scoring the highest number of non-penalty shootout penalties in FIFA World Cup history, bringing his total to five.

During the match, Ivan Perisic made history as well, becoming the second player to provide an assist in four different FIFA World Cups, joining Argentine icon Lionel Messi in this exclusive club.