England captain Harry Kane expressed his delight after his side kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a commanding 4-2 victory over Croatia in their Group L opener at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday.
Kane's Reaction on Social Media
Taking to X, Kane credited the team's second-half performance and praised the collective effort behind the win. He wrote, "Off to a winning start. Second half set the standard for us, credit to all the boys for a huge shift. Thank you for your support."
Match Highlights
Kane scored twice, Jude Bellingham produced a standout second-half strike, and substitute Marcus Rashford added a late goal to seal the victory for Thomas Tuchel's side, who overcame a determined Croatian challenge.
England were handed an early opportunity when Noni Madueke was fouled by Luka Modric inside the box, winning a penalty in the 11th minute. Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic initially saved Kane's effort, but VAR ruled that Livakovic had stepped off his line early, forcing a retake. Kane converted the second attempt to give England the lead.
Croatia responded well and levelled the score in the 36th minute through Martin Baturina. Luka Sucic's incisive run ended with a cut-back to Baturina, who fired a powerful shot past Jordan Pickford during a strong phase of Croatian pressure.
Kane's Milestones
Kane delivered a commanding display, scoring a brace with one goal from the penalty spot in the 12th minute and another in the 42nd minute. He became only the second England player to score in three separate FIFA World Cup tournaments (2018, 2022, 2026), joining legend David Beckham (1998, 2002, 2006).
The Bayern Munich striker also equalled another major milestone, reaching 10 FIFA World Cup goals – the joint-most by an England player alongside Gary Lineker. In addition, Kane set a new global benchmark by scoring the most non-penalty shootout penalties in FIFA World Cup history, taking his tally to five.
Other Notable Feats
During the clash, Ivan Perisic became the second player to register an assist at four different FIFA World Cup tournaments. The Croatian player joined Argentine legend Lionel Messi as the only players in history to achieve the feat.
