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England head coach Thomas Tuchel hailed captain Harry Kane’s “complete performance” as the Three Lions kicked off their World Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday.
Two goals from Kane, including a re-taken penalty kick, plus strikes from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford gave England an impressive victory against the team that defeated them in the semi-finals at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
After scoring his two goals in the first half, the second a powerful header, Kane was the first person to jump on the back of Bellingham after the midfielder had put England ahead on 47 minutes. Then in the 94th minute, Kane was on defensive duty, blocking a close-range shot.
“See the commitment of our captain, our No. 9,” said England coach Tuchel. “Complete performance, absolute leader and he’s all in. He’s all in physically, he’s all in mentally. He’s the full package. He wants it, and he leads by example.”
Kane’s goals pushed his World Cup career total to 10 and matched the English record that Gary Lineker set playing in the 1986 and 1990 tournaments. Kane, who won the Golden Boot in 2018 in Russia by scoring six times, is the first player from England to score multiple goals in three World Cup appearances.
In 115 international games, he now has 81 goals for England and is the country’s all-time leading scorer.
“Obviously it’s a great milestone to reach, to get 10 goals in a World Cup,” said Kane, who also scored 59 goals this season for club side Bayern Munich. “To reach double figures in this amazing tournament is very special. And it’s the first game, I’m feeling good.
“I said before the game, physically, mentally, the goals I’ve scored this year (are) at the highest level I’ve ever had in my career. I enjoy being on the pitch when I’m feeling in this form.”
Kane didn’t score in England’s 2-1 semi-final defeat to Croatia eight years ago in the only previous World Cup meeting between the teams. When England lost 2-1 to France in the 2022 quarter-finals, Kane missed a penalty late on, sending the ball over the crossbar.
This time, the 32-year-old came close to another hat trick – he had one against Panama in 2018. He had seven shots, three of them on goal. Those included a pair of rapid-fire attempts shortly after England had retaken the lead in the second half, and he almost immediately was trying to get to another ball when he collided with a defender and ended up on the ground in front of the net.
Kane’s first goal in his 12th World Cup game came after Dominik Livakovic’s save on his first penalty was highlighted on the video review. Both of the Croatian goalkeeper’s feet were off the goal line as Kane struck the ball.
“He’s a keeper that likes to move early and jump kind of forward early,” Kane said. “So I knew there was a high chance that if I did stutter that he might come off the line.
“I wasn’t 100% sure that he was. I was maybe 80% sure he did. But obviously not ideal, I still want to score the penalty.”
On the second attempt, Kane went the same way toward the right post while Livakovic lunged in the opposite direction.
The Bayern star matched Lineker’s tally when he easily beat Livakovic with a header off a corner kick taken by Declan Rice. Kane was basically alone before moving into position to make the play.
“It was a set piece that we used,” he said. “Just kind of block the guys in front a little bit and just give me a bit of space.”
England’s next World Cup match in group L is against Ghana on Tuesday 23 June, kick-off 10 pm CET.
Group L fixtures and results
- England 4 Croatia 2
- Ghana 1 Panama 0
- Tuesday 23 June: England vs Ghana 22:00 CET
- Wednesday 24 June: Croatia vs Panama 01:00 CET
- Saturday 27 June: England vs Panama 23:00 CET
- Saturday 27 June: Croatia vs Ghana 23:00 CET