England beat Croatia 4-2 in their opening game of the 2026 World Cup at Dallas Stadium, and Thomas Tuchel’s selection looked justified from the moment the match opened up. Harry Kane scored twice, Jude Bellingham scored after the restart, and Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford combined for the fourth after coming off the bench.

Tuchel had asked for exactly this sort of approach before kick-off. “We should play brave and play to the strengths of the players,” he said, and England did not hide from the game once Croatia started asking questions.

Why Tuchel’s selection was the right call

The most obvious decision was trusting Bellingham over Morgan Rogers, and it paid off quickly. Bellingham was one of England’s standout performers, with a 7.6 rating to go with his goal, while Kane again gave England the sort of penalty-box certainty that settles tournaments. England's 4-goal return was a clear step up in attacking output, even with Croatia scoring twice and forcing a proper contest.

The bench mattered too. Rashford’s 7.2 rating reflected a strong impact after his introduction, and Saka’s 7 rating matched the value of having direct attacking players ready to change the game late. Declan Rice also played his part with the corner that led to Kane’s second, which is a useful reminder that England are not relying on open play alone.

Kane and the bench gave England the cutting edge

Kane’s brace took him to 81 England goals, and he also became the World Cup record holder for the most non-shootout penalties scored with five. That matters because England do not need him to do anything flashy. They need him to finish chances, and he did that again in a match where the scoreline kept shifting.

Croatia tried to be proactive rather than passive, lining up in a 2-4-2-4 and lowering their defensive line only after England had already started to find space. Zlatko Dalic had said, “We won't just defend, we want more,” and Croatia did have moments, including their equaliser through Martin Baturina. But once England moved the ball quicker after half-time, the gaps were there.

The bigger takeaway is that this was not just a Kane show. England had a starter in Bellingham, a penalty-box striker in Kane and two useful finishers off the bench. That mix gives Tuchel options previous England tournament sides have too often lacked.

If England keep getting that kind of output from the starting XI and the bench, they will not just be talking about brave selection. They will have the goals to back it up in the matches that matter next.

FAQ

Did Thomas Tuchel’s brave England selection work against Croatia?

Yes. England beat Croatia 4-2 in their opening game at Dallas Stadium, with Harry Kane scoring twice, Jude Bellingham scoring after the restart and the bench adding a fourth through Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford. The selection backed England’s attacking strengths and they looked far more dangerous than in recent tournament versions.

How important was Harry Kane in England’s win over Croatia?

Very important. Kane scored twice, took his England total to 81 goals and became the World Cup record holder for the most non-shootout penalties scored with five. He was England’s most decisive player in a 4-2 win that also featured goals from Bellingham and the bench.

Why did England look more dangerous against Croatia?

Tuchel backed a braver attacking setup, and England used it well in a 4-2 win. Bellingham scored 90 seconds after the restart in one source version, while the match-event data lists his goal in the 47th minute. Either way, England responded quickly after half-time and then finished strongly through the bench.

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