The 2026 FIFA World Cup is here, and one of the best games of the first round is coming up fast. England take on Croatia in Group L at the huge AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. There are lots of fans getting ready to watch two good teams from Europe play against each other.
England are one of the main contenders heading into this World Cup. They have been close, but they have not won the trophy yet. Now under coach Thomas Tuchel, they hope this is finally their year, sixty years after their last win.
Croatia is also not a team to be taken lightly. Yeah, people talk about the age of some of their players, but Croatia keeps proving they show up when it matters. They finished third in 2022 and were beaten in the final in 2018. That’s not luck. That’s a team that knows how to play in big games.
Every team has talent at every position. But there aren’t many players that are really outstanding that could swing this match one way or the other.
5. Declan Rice (ENG)
Declan Rice has become one of the most important players in the England squad. He does a lot of the quiet stuff, the stuff that doesn’t make it onto the scoreboard but is so important.
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He had a brilliant season for Arsenal and helped them win the league for the first time in years. Very good at winning the ball back, breaking up play and getting his team going.
Rice will have his hands full in the middle of the park against Croatia. He’ll have to look after the ball, deal with Croatia’s attacks of Croatia and help England move forward. His energy could be one of England’s biggest weapons in this game.
4. Luka Modrić (Croatia)
Luka Modrić, 40, is reminding everyone why he is one of the greatest midfielders of all time.
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Many thought he was finished when he left Real Madrid. But he continued to perform at a high level and silence the critics. Modric made history already with Croatia. He took them to the final in 2018 and then took them again to do well in 2022. And Modric is often the one who comes to the fore when Croatia need a bit of calm in a difficult patch. Fans across the globe will be waiting to see if he can take his team one last time on the biggest stage in football.
3 Jordan Pickford (ENG)
Goalkeepers can be heroes at big tournaments, and that is what Jordan Pickford has been for England on more than one occasion.
The Everton keeper has been brilliant in big games previously, either in a vital stop or penalty shootout. He had another good season and feels good about his game heading into the World Cup.
Croatia has some dangerous attackers, so Pickford could be kept busy. England will need to be on their metal if they are to start the tournament with a clean sheet. His big-game experience has made him one of the most trusted players on the team.
2. Mateo Kovacic (Croatia)
Mateo Kovacic is another massive cog in the Croatia midfield. He has played for some of the biggest clubs, including Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City. He’s very good at holding the ball and pushing it up.
Kovacic knows how to deal with pressure in big matches. The club season has been a mixed bag for him, but he usually excels on the international stage.
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There could be a key battle between Kovacic and England’s midfield in this match. If he and Modrić can set the tempo between them, then Croatia can cause England a lot of problems.
1. Harry Kane (ENG)
Harry Kane is the first name to come to mind when people speak of England’s best hope of finally winning it all.
The England captain just keeps on scoring year in, year out in whatever competition he is in. He’s coming off another massive season with Bayern Munich and his goalscoring record is still one of the best in the world. He will be one of the Golden Boot contenders.
But Kane is not all about goals. He involves his teammates, too. He brings real leadership to this team. England fans will be looking to their skipper to lead the way against Croatia. One big moment from Kane could change all that.
Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026 Teams And Their Nicknames: Full List Of All 48 Nations
