England vs Croatia Player Ratings

England 4-2 Croatia Player Ratings: Harry Kane 9.0/10 Brace Equals Lineker World Cup Record as England Thrash Croatia in Breathless 4-2 Opener

Mohit Tomar

Modified - Jun 17, 2026, 10:06 PM

4 min

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Summary

England claimed a dominant 4-2 World Cup Group L victory over Croatia in one of the tournament's most breathless and entertaining opening-round contests. Kane's brace equaled Lineker's all-time England World Cup scoring record as Bellingham and Rashford completed a comprehensive victory that sends Tuchel's side to the top of the group with maximum points and momentum.
Croatia competed with the extraordinary collective resilience and individual quality that have defined Dalic's tenure, Baturina's stunning equaliser, and Musa's composed stoppage-time leveller, both confirming that England's defensive concentration and collective shape must be significantly more consistent if Tuchel's side are to go deep into the knockout stages against opponents of genuine technical quality.
Harry Kane was the undisputed star at 9.0/10; his composed re-taken penalty, clinical headed brace from Rice's outswinging corner, and complete captain's performance were the defining contributions of an England display that delivered the most exciting and commanding World Cup Group L opening statement the Three Lions have produced in the modern tournament era.

Dallas Stadium delivered one of the most breathless and entertaining opening-round fixtures of the entire 2026 World Cup, with the England national football team and Croatia, the sides that met in the 2018 semi-finals and 2021 European Championship, producing a seven-goal thriller that swung between chaos and brilliance across 90 extraordinary minutes. Madueke's directness down the right from the first whistle immediately exposed the gap behind Perisic's wing-back position, and Modric's attempt to hook clear caught the Arsenal forward squarely in the midriff, referee Turpin pointing to the spot inside nine minutes.

Kane's first attempt was saved by Dominik Livaković to his left, but Gvardiol's encroachment and the goalkeeper's early movement forced an immediate retake, and the second attempt was dispatched with the emphatic authority of a striker who has never looked back at a missed spot-kick in his career. England's first FIFA World Cup goal from the penalty spot in 12 years gave Tuchel's side the early platform their pressing intensity and territorial dominance had entirely merited.

The Croatia national football team's equaliser arrived against the run of play, Sucic sitting down Stones before laying composedly into Baturina's path, the midfielder smashing an unstoppable effort past Pickford's outstretched hand to remind every watching England supporter that a Croatia side featuring Modric, Perisic, and Gvardiol never truly surrenders regardless of the scoreline or circumstance. Rice's outswinging corner delivered the decisive response, Kane's timed run from deep and emphatic header into the bottom-left corner equalling Gary Lineker's record of 10 England World Cup goals just three minutes before the most devastating and emotionally charged half-time of England's tournament.

Jude Bellingham's composed 47th-minute drive restored the lead before Musa's late volley had completed Croatia's dramatic stoppage-time leveller, only for England's second-half intensity, Bellingham's clinical opener, and Rashford's composed late substitute finish to ultimately confirm the most complete and exciting England World Cup opening performance of Tuchel's tenure in the most fitting and authoritative fashion possible. Here are Sportsdunia's England vs Croatia player ratings.

England National Football Team Player Ratings vs Croatia

Here are the England national football team player ratings vs Croatia.

Player Name	Ratings
Jordan Pickford	5.6
Nico O'Reilly	6.5
John Stones	6.3
Ezri Konsa	5.9
Reece James	6.0
Declan Rice	7.3
Elliot Anderson	7.8
Anthony Gordon	6.2
Jude Bellingham	8.2
Noni Madueke	7.5
Harry Kane	9.0

Croatia National Football Team Player Ratings vs England

Check out the Croatia national football team player ratings vs England.

Player Name	Ratings
Dominik Livaković	6.0
Joško Gvardiol	5.8
Luka Vušković	6.4
Josip Šutalo	6.3
Ivan Perišić	8.0
Petar Sučić	7.4
Luka Modrić	6.0
Josip Stanišić	7.4
Martin Baturina	8.0
Mario Pašalić	6.5
Petar Musa	7.2

Man of the Match

Harry Kane earned the Man of the Match award for his composed re-taken penalty and clinical headed second goal, equalling Gary Lineker's all-time record of 10 England World Cup goals. His intelligent hold-up play, defensive contribution, and complete captain's leadership throughout defined England's collective rhythm and attacking structure throughout the game.