England’s debut in the 2026 World Cup could not have gone better. In the opening match of Group L, Thomas Tuchel’s side defeated Croatia 4–2, with Harry Kane standing out as the key player of the match.
The Bayern Munich striker scored a brace (one from the penalty spot), while the other two goals were scored by Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford, both in the second half.
Croatia fought as hard as they could, but were overrun by their opponents in the second half. Martin Baturina and Petar Musa scored for their side, with both goals temporarily bringing the match level.
A clash between contenders ultimately did not disappoint. Six goals, plenty of excitement, and numerous scoring chances. You followed the live minute-by-minute coverage here at Bolavip, and we look forward to having you join us again for our next live coverage. Thank you for following along.
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England and Croatia made their World Cup debut in a match full of excitement. You followed the live minute-by-minute coverage here at Bolavip.
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90'+6 - End of the game! (4-2)
England defeat Croatia 4–2 in both teams’ opening match of the 2026 World Cup.
90' - Added time is being played! (4-2)
Six minutes of stoppage time are being played.
86' - Another substitution for England! (4-2)
John Stones has been substituted off, with Marc Guéhi coming on.
85' - GOOOOAL for England! (4-2)
Marcus Rashford scores the fourth goal with a right-footed finish inside the box.
Djed Spence has come on, replacing Jude Bellingham.
78' - More substitutions for Croatia (3-2)
Nikola Vlašić and Andrej Kramarić have come on, replacing Martin Baturina and Mario Pašalić.
75' - Last 15 minutes of the game! (3-2)
The final 15 minutes of the match are underway.
Pickford makes a strong save to deny Pašalić’s powerful shot.
72' - Play resumes! (3-2)
Play resumes at Dallas Stadium.
Three changes for England: Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, and Anthony Gordon have been substituted off, with Bukayo Saka, Morgan Rogers, and Marcus Rashford coming on.
69' - Cooling break! (3-2)
The second cooling break of the match is taking place.
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66' - More substitutions for Croatia! (3-2)
Igor Matanović and Marco Pašalić have come on, while Petar Musa and Luka Vušković have been substituted off.
60' - First 15 minutes of the second half (3-2)
England have come out with a different attitude in the second half and are taking control of the match.
57' - England are overwhelming their opponents (3-2)
Livaković is becoming the standout player of the match. The first substitution of the game sees Luka Modrić come off, with Mateo Kovačić coming on.
55' - England justify the lead! (3-2)
A double save from Livaković, once again following a corner, prevents England’s fourth goal.
52' - England look the 4th goal (3-2)
England are pushing to extend their lead through a series of corner kicks.
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46' - GOOOOOAL for England! (3-2)
At the start of the second half, Jude Bellingham scores England’s third goal.
England, with a brace from Harry Kane, and Croatia are level in an entertaining match. The closing stages of the first half delivered the most excitement. Don’t miss any detail here at Bolavip.
45'+5 - End of first half! (2-2)
England and Croatia are level in an entertaining match.
45'+5 - GOOOOAL for Croatia! (2-2)
At the end of the first half, Petar Musa scores the equalizer.
Petar Musa scores his first-ever FIFA World Cup goal and equalizes for Croatia 🇭🇷 pic.twitter.com/u5yRVSMieM
The match referee will be France’s Clement Turpin, with assistants Nicolas Danos and Benjamin Pages. The fourth official will be Katia Itzel Garcia, and the reserve assistant referee will be Sandra Ramirez.
The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) will be Jerome Brisard (France), with Willy Delajod (France) serving as Assistant VAR (AVAR).
Team kits!
England will wear their traditional white kit, while Croatia will play in their blue away kit.
These are the eleven players starting for Croatia:
Dominik Livakovic; Josko Gvardiol, Josip Sutalo, Luka Vuskovic; Josip Stanisic, Ivan Perisic, Luka Modric, Mario Pasalic, Petar Sucic, Martin Baturina; Petar Musa.
In the United States, the match can be watched on FOX and Telemundo. It is also available via streaming platforms such as Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV, and Peacock Premium.
England and Croatia make their World Cup debut
Welcome to a new live blog here at Bolavip. In this edition, we will be providing live, minute-by-minute coverage of this intriguing match between England and Croatia in Group L of the 2026 World Cup.
Stay tuned for every key moment in this coverage!!!
Matias Persuh is a sports journalist and writer who began his career after graduating with a bachelor's degree in Sports Journalism in 2008. Over the years, he has covered numerous events, including local soccer games, and has conducted interviews with players and coaches. In addition to his writing, Matias has contributed as a columnist on various radio shows. Joining Bolavip US in July 2024 marked a significant step forward in his career, allowing him to continue developing his skills and delivering resonant news about U.S. sports to the audience.