England vs Croatia: 2026 World Cup Group L Match Preview
L'essentiel
England faces Croatia in their 2026 World Cup Group L opener at AT&T Stadium, with both teams seeking a strong start; England, led by Harry Kane, aims for its first World Cup title since 1966, while Croatia, captained by 40-year-old Luka Modric, looks to leverage its tournament consistency.
Résumé généré par IA
Pourquoi c'est important
England seeks its first World Cup title since 1966, while Croatia aims to repeat its consistent tournament performance.
England faces Croatia in their 2026 World Cup Group L opener at AT&T Stadium, Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday. England, led by captain Harry Kane, who has arrived in top form after winning his second Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich, is genuine contenders for the title. Kane urged his team to "go for it" and be "free in the mind" as they launch their campaign.
England coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the high expectations but cautioned against being delusional. Croatia, meanwhile, warned about Kane’s goal-scoring ability and will rely on veteran captain Luka Modric, who is set for his fifth and possibly final World Cup. Modric, at 40, remains crucial to Croatia’s hopes.
The two teams have met 11 times before, with England winning six matches. Their last World Cup encounter was in the 2018 semifinals, which Croatia won 2-1. England defender Tino Livramento was ruled out due to injury and replaced by Trevoh Chalobah. Croatia has no major injury concerns.
Stats provider Opta gives England a 55.9% chance of winning, with Croatia at 20.8%. The match kicks off at 9pm BST in the UK, shown on ITV, and at 10pm in Croatia on HRT. In the US, it will be on FOX and Peacock.
England Predicted XI: Pickford; James, Konsa, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane
Croatia Predicted XI: Livakovic; Stanisic, Sutalo, Vuskovic, Gvardiol; Modric, Kovacic; Pasalic, Kramaric, Perisic; Budimir
À surveiller
Perspective IA — des possibilités, pas des certitudes
England to win with a narrow margin
Probable · En quelques heures
Questions ouvertes
- Will England's squad depth overcome the loss of Tino Livramento?
- Can Croatia's younger players step up under Modric's leadership?
