England player ratings vs Croatia: Kane and Bellingham star in World Cup opener | OneFootball

Thomas Tuchel’s first tournament game as England manager was a wild ride as the Three Lions beat Croatia 4-2 at the Dallas Stadium.

The match, England’s opening fixture of the 2026 World Cup group stage, showcased both their incredible attacking power and their worrying defensive gaps.

It was also a historic night for Harry Kane, whose brace drew him level with Gary Lineker’s long-standing record of 10 career World Cup goals for England to top Group L.

England started brightly when Harry Kane scored a retaken penalty, which was won by a lively Noni Madueke.

Croatia hit back through Martin Baturina, but Kane soon scored again with a header from a corner.

Just before half-time, Petar Musa took advantage of some sloppy defending to level the score at 2-2. England looked like a different team after the break.

Jude Bellingham scored a brilliant solo goal early in the second half, and substitute Marcus Rashford sealed the win with a calm finish.

Here is how the England players rated in Dallas

England player ratings vs Croatia: Attack sparks six-goal thriller as defence struggles

Goalkeeper & Defence

Jordan Pickford – 7/10 Could not do much about either first-half goal as his defence left him completely exposed. He made up for it in the second half with a massive, game-changing save from Mario Pašalić when England were leading 3-2.

Reece James – 7/10 Linked up brilliantly with Madueke down the right wing in the first half. He was caught out slightly for Croatia’s second goal, but looked very comfortable when moved into central midfield late in the game.

John Stones – 6/10 Had an uncharacteristic mix-up with Pickford early on that set a nervous tone for the backline. He calmed down later in the match and kept his passing tidy before being subbed off.

Ezri Konsa – 6/10 Had a tough physical battle against a strong Croatian attack. He lost track of his runner for the second equaliser, leaving Tuchel with plenty to think about defensively before the next game.

Nico O’Reilly – 6/10 A difficult competitive debut for the teenager. He made a poor pass that put England under pressure, and was beaten too easily for the first goal. However, he showed great character to recover after the break and almost scored with a header.

Midfield & Attack

Elliot Anderson – 8/10 An excellent performance on his World Cup debut. He brought tons of energy to the midfield with heavy tackles and relentless pressing, and he set up Bellingham’s vital goal.

Declan Rice – 7/10 Protected the defence well when Croatia tried to counter-attack. His set-piece delivery was excellent all night, including the perfect corner for Kane’s headed goal.

Jude Bellingham – 8/10 Quiet in the first half but completely ran the show after the break. He took control of the match just two minutes into the second half, driving through the defence to finish off a great team move.

Noni Madueke – 8/10 Fully justified his start ahead of Bukayo Saka. He terrified the Croatian left-back with his direct running and won the penalty for the opening goal.

Anthony Gordon – 6/10 Worked incredibly hard out of possession to help the team press high up the pitch. He did not get many chances to threaten the goal as England focused most of their attacks down the opposite flank.

Harry Kane – 9/10 (Player of the Match) A proper captain’s performance. He showed great composure to score his penalty on the second attempt, added a classic headed goal, and even made a brilliant defensive block in his own box late on.

With his brace, the Bayern forward Kane reached 10 career World Cup goals, matching Gary Lineker’s long-standing record as England’s joint-highest goalscorer in the tournament’s history.

Substitutes

Marcus Rashford – 7/10 Brought great energy off the bench and looked dangerous immediately. He took his goal beautifully, cutting inside to slot the ball into the bottom corner.

Bukayo Saka – 7/10 Kept the attacking pressure high after coming on and set up Rashford’s goal with a perfectly weighted pass.

Djed Spence – 7/10 Gave the team a late burst of energy at right-back. He had a great chance to score on his debut but hit his shot straight at the keeper.

Morgan Rogers – 6/10 Came on for the final 18 minutes to help control the game and kept things simple in possession.

Marc Guéhi – 6/10 Brought on late to shore up the defence and dealt well with Croatia’s late crosses.

Read more – FIFA World Cup 2026 Stadiums: Full List of Venues, Roof Types, Air Conditioning and Heat Rules Explained

See Also- FIFA World Cup: The top goalscorers in World Cup history

Follow the Football Faithful on Social Media:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok