England vs Croatia Game Analysis: High Tempo
Budding rivals, England and Croatia, meet on Wednesday, June 17, at Dallas Stadium at 4 pm Eastern Time for the Group L opening game in the FIFA World Cup.
England can set a high tempo from the start to build momentum into a deep run in the tournament. Croatia has shown slower defensive recovery in their recent matches, which England can exploit with their attacking threat.
This opener could set the tone for Group L, which contains England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama.
England Recent Scores: Perfect Qualifying
England recorded a perfect UEFA qualifying campaign, with eight wins and 0 goals conceded. Their dangerous attackers include Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, and Jude Bellingham. England’s only real concern will be whether they can handle the heat and humidity in Texas.
In warm-up matches, England defeated New Zealand 1-0 and Costa Rica 3-0.
England, it’s time.
— England (@England) June 17, 2026
🎙️ @stormzy pic.twitter.com/jNROJIpRzP
Croatia Recent Scores: Old Experience
Croatia’s squad has talent and experience, but the bulk of their players are getting old, with only a small number of young, talented players to balance the roster. But you can never count them out in major tournaments as they find a way to overperform.
Croatia has several players expected to retire shortly after the World Cup, which gives you a good indication of their team’s potential: Luka Modrić (age 40), Ivan Pericić, Andrej Kramarić, and potentially Mateo Kovačić.
They are strong defensively and dangerous on the counterattack, but the attacking firepower they had in previous tournaments is getting long in the tooth.
In the warm-up matches, Croatia lost to Belgium 0-2 but defeated Slovenia 2-1.
England vs Croatia History: European Rivals
These two teams have a history, playing each other 11 times in international matches. Their overall record:
- England wins: 6
- Croatia wins: 3
- Draws: 2
Their rivalry has grown over the past eight years, beginning in the 2018 World Cup semifinal, when Croatia triumphed and went on to play France in the Final. France won the title that year.
In October that same year, they met in the UEFA Nations League, which ended in a 0-0 draw. In November, in the same league, England got their revenge with a 2-1 win against Croatia.
In 2021, they met in Euro 2020 – Group D, where England beat Croatia again, 1-0, and won the group.
England vs Croatia Prediction: Limit Modrić
England has the edge over Croatia and is projected to win, but Croatia has caused major upsets, including at the 2018 World Cup.
England’s manager, Thomas Tuchel, hasn’t finalized his squad for the game yet, but he was impressed by the players who won against Costa Rica. He still has final decisions to make about key positions, such as in midfield, on both wings and the heart of the defense.
If England can limit Modrić and Mateo Kovačić, Croatia will struggle. Modrić isn’t as mobile as he was in previous tournaments, but he remains Croatia’s creative hub and can’t be given time on the ball in dangerous areas.
Our England vs Croatia prediction is a 2-1 win for England.
