England v Croatia LIVE: Thomas Tuchel faces Bukayo Saka decision as World Cup campaign begins | OneFootball

The time has finally arrived for England to get their World Cup 2026 campaign underway, with Thomas Tuchel’s side ready to meet Croatia in a Group L opener that is a repeat of their semi-final eight years ago.

Tuchel will have 25 of his 26 players to pick from in Dallas – late injury replacement Trevoh Chalobah is not yet available – with captain Harry Kane set to lead the line in a tournament where the big names have wasted no time in making their impact. But the England boss faces a decision over Bukayo Saka, who needs his fitness managed as he battles an injury. Will the Arsenal star be able to start?

While Croatia are much-changed, and arguably a lesser force, compared to the team that broke England hearts in Russia, Luka Modric remains at the heart of their midfield in a group also featuring Ghana and Panama.

The extraordinary numbers behind Lionel Messi – and the all-time World Cup record now in his grasp

The big news from yesterday – and perhaps the biggest of the World Cup so far on the pitch – came from a familiar face in a 3-0 win for defending champions Argentina...

The journey took him from Gelsenkirchen to Kansas City. It began as an 18-year-old and reached a new level as a 38-year-old. Argentina’s youngest World Cup scorer is also their oldest. He is also, inimitably, Lionel Messi.

Messi’s first World Cup ended in a game in which Miroslav Klose scored one of his 16 World Cup goals; Messi was an unused substitute when Germany knocked out Argentina in 2006. Perhaps revenge came two decades on. Messi drew level with Klose at the top of the all-time standings with his treble against Algeria.

Klose had resigned himself to his fate, anyway. Messi will go past him, Kylian Mbappe surely, too. “The record will be broken eventually,” the German said last week. “Messi is welcome to do it. I'm a huge Messi fan, always have been.”

The extraordinary numbers behind Messi – and the World Cup record now in his grasp

Analysis: Messi has long been called ‘incomparable’, but if that greatness manifested itself largely in the colours of Barcelona, it may have come later in life in the albiceleste of Argentina

Richard Jolly17 June 2026 18:14

The science of winning the World Cup – inside Thomas Tuchel’s psychological overhaul of England

One of the factors the England manager has been most obsessed with is building the right chemistry, but there is now much more to it than gut feelings about personality. There is a science to it, writes Miguel Delaney in his latest Inside Football newsletter...

The science of winning – inside Thomas Tuchel’s psychological overhaul of England

One of the factors the England manager has been most obsessed with is building the right chemistry, but there is now much more to it than gut feelings about personality. There is a science to it, writes Miguel Delaney in his latest Inside Football newsletter

Miguel Delaney17 June 2026 17:56

World Cup fixtures

England’s opener is the last game of the day for those in the UK, though fans can look forward to the following action to come on Thursday, 18 June:

(Reuters)

Chris Wilson17 June 2026 17:47

How will England line up against Croatia in their 2026 World Cup opener?

Bukayo Saka will start on the right side, although Tuchel has hinted that fitness issues may limit his minutes at the World Cup – Noni Madueke could turn out to be crucial. Madueke was excellent in England’s best game under Tuchel, the 5-0 thrashing of Serbia in qualifying, and it is possible that Madueke could even usurp Saka as England’s starting winger later in the tournament if he impresses from the bench and Saka struggles for sharpness.

Tuchel’s biggest decision is on the left wing, and a choice between Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford. It is a strange dynamic, given Gordon signed for Barcelona days before travelling out to the US for this World Cup. He is effectively replacing Rashford, who spent the season on loan at the Nou Camp but will not have his temporary stay made permanent. Rashford is expected to find another place to play rather than return to Manchester United, where relations broke down last season.

Kane, of course, will lead the line. The England captain scored 61 goals for Bayern Munich this season, and provided seven assists, in an astonishing campaign. He is pursuing the Golden Boot and the Ballon d’Or in North America, as well as the World Cup.

Why England must top their group

If the first few days of the 2026 World Cup have taught us anything, it is that predicting how the tournament will pan out is a fool’s errand. Cape Verde were not meant to shut out Spain, many people’s favourites. Australia were not meant to beat a talented Turkey. Morocco were not meant to match the might of Brazil.

We can still try to map out the draw, of course. Theoretically, there should be a material benefit in topping each group. Group winners will be rewarded in one of two ways by Fifa’s new 48-team format: either they will get to play one of the eight third-placed finishers in the round of the 32; or they will meet a second-placed finisher but then avoid facing any other group winners until the quarter-finals at the earliest.

For England – on paper, at least – winning Group L would seem advantageous in progressing deep into the tournament. They would be paired with one of the third-placed finishers in the round of 32, teams who are likely to have picked up only three or four points during the group stage.

Lawrence Ostlere in Dallas17 June 2026 17:12

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