England began their World Cup campaign with a commanding 4-2 victory over Croatia at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday, a result that offered a measure of revenge for their semi-final defeat to the same opponents at the 2018 tournament in Russia. Captain Harry Kane was the standout performer, scoring twice and earning praise from head coach Thomas Tuchel for what he described as a “complete performance.”
Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot after a video review confirmed that Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic had moved off his line before the initial spot-kick. The Bayern Munich striker converted the retake with composure, sending Livakovic the wrong way. His second goal came from a well-worked corner routine: Declan Rice delivered the ball, and Kane rose unmarked to power a header past the goalkeeper. That goal took his World Cup tally to ten, equalling the English record set by Gary Lineker in 1986 and 1990.
Jude Bellingham put England ahead early in the second half, and Marcus Rashford added a fourth to seal the win. But it was Kane’s all-round contribution that drew particular attention. In the 94th minute, with Croatia pressing, the striker was back in his own penalty area to block a close-range shot. “See the commitment of our captain, our No. 9,” Tuchel said. “Complete performance, absolute leader and he’s all in. He's all in physically, he's all in mentally. He's the full package. He wants it, and he leads by example.”
A Record-Breaking Captain
Kane’s two goals pushed his international tally to 81 in 115 appearances, making him England’s all-time leading scorer. He is also the first English player to score multiple goals in three separate World Cup appearances. Reflecting on his form, Kane said: “Obviously it’s a great milestone to reach, to get 10 goals in a World Cup. To reach double figures in this amazing tournament is very special. And it’s the first game, I’m feeling good. I said before the game, physically, mentally, the goals I’ve scored this year (are) at the highest level I’ve ever had in my career. I enjoy being on the pitch when I'm feeling in this form.”
The 32-year-old came close to a hat-trick, registering seven shots, three on target. He also endured a heavy collision with a Croatian defender as he chased a loose ball in the box. His performance was a marked contrast to the 2018 semi-final, when he failed to score in England’s 2-1 defeat to Croatia, and the 2022 quarter-final against France, where he missed a late penalty.
Kane’s first penalty was initially saved by Livakovic, but the goal was disallowed after VAR showed the goalkeeper had both feet off the line. “He’s a keeper that likes to move early and jump kind of forward early,” Kane explained. “So I knew there was a high chance that if I did stutter that he might come off the line. I wasn’t 100% sure that he was. I was maybe 80% sure he did. But obviously not ideal, I still want to score the penalty.” On the retake, Kane struck the ball to the same side, and Livakovic dived the opposite way.
England’s next match in group L is against Ghana on Tuesday 23 June, kick-off 10 pm CET. The victory sets a strong tone for a side that has reached the semi-finals or final in three of the last four major tournaments under Tuchel’s predecessor, Gareth Southgate. For Kane, the focus remains on the collective goal. “It’s the first game, I’m feeling good,” he said. “We’ve got a long way to go, but this is a great start.”
