England Player Ratings: Kane and Madueke Shine in 4-2 World Cup Win Over Croatia
Quick Look
- England began their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory against Croatia in Dallas.
- Harry Kane and Noni Madueke were standout performers, with Kane scoring twice and Madueke earning a penalty.
- Jude Bellingham also scored a crucial goal to put England ahead.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
England opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 4-2 win over Croatia in Dallas. BBC Sport reporter Alex Howell assessed player performances.
England opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a superb 4-2 win over Croatia.
BBC Sport England reporter Alex Howell assesses how the players performed in Dallas on Wednesday - and you can see how BBC Sport readers rated them at the bottom of the page too.
Starting XI
Jordan Pickford: Some wayward clearances in the first half and may feel he should have done better with the first Croatia goal. 5
Nico O'Reilly: A first start in a major tournament for the 19-year-old. Showed some nerves but a solid performance. Had two good chances to score from second-half corners. 6
John Stones: The Manchester City centre-back took a lot of the responsibility of building up with the ball. Some signs that he and Ezri Konza need more time together as a partnership in a major tournament. 5
Ezri Konsa: The Aston Villa defender has been one of Thomas Tuchel's favourites since he took the job. He and Stones have had limited time on the pitch together and it showed at times. 5
Reece James: Grew into the game but it was a quieter performance from the Chelsea right-back. Part of a new England back four that conceded two goals. 6
Declan Rice: The Arsenal midfielder displayed his usual powerful running and was a key part of England's spine. Rice's set-piece delivery was excellent and provided the assist for Kane's second and set up two excellent chances for O'Reilly. 7
Elliot Anderson: Played how he has ever since he first pulled on an England shirt, showing an impressive amount of maturity. His pass in behind the Croatia defence assisted Jude Bellingham's goal. 6
Anthony Gordon: Provided an energetic display but lacked cutting edge in this match. His pressing was key in helping pin Croatia back. A loose pass when he could have put Madueke through on goal. 6
Jude Bellingham: Having been trusted in the number 10 role, he made one promising run early on and then put England 3-2 up. A good start from the Real Madrid midfielder. 7
Noni Madueke: Lots of energy, his reading of the game won England their penalty. His pace in behind meant he was England's most dangerous attacker. 7
Harry Kane: Was fortunate to retake his first-half penalty and then scored England's second from a set-piece with a great header. Dropped deep to release Madueke and that looks to be a flourishing partnership. 8
Substitutes
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Open Questions
- How will England's defense improve?
- Can the midfield partnership sustain performance?
