The anticipation builds as Jude Bellingham secures the playmaker role for England over Morgan Rogers. Anthony Gordon takes the left wing position, edging out Marcus Rashford, while Noni Madueke covers the right flank. Bukayo Saka, not fully recovered, will remain on the bench. In central defense, Ezri Konsa partners with John Stones.
As Croatia’s captain, Luka Modric, 40, prepares to make his fifth World Cup appearance, he will also achieve his 199th international cap tonight. Ivan Perišić is set for his 155th appearance, while Mateo Kovacic is among the substitutes, aiming for his 114th cap.
England’s starting lineup includes: Pickford, Konsa, O’Reilly, Stones, James, Rice, Anderson, Bellingham, Kane, Gordon, and Madueke.
For Croatia, the players are Livakovic, Stanisic, Gvardiol, Sutalo, Vuskovic, Modric, Pasalic, Baturina, Sucic, Perisic, and Musa.
While the soccer stars prepare for the match in Texas, artistic expressions have emerged in Shoreditch, east London. Keith Williams shares his sketches of England fans at the Old Blue Last, highlighting the vibrant atmosphere.
Further details come from Arlington, with insights from a Guardian football writer and occasional meteorologist/retail trends analyst, Ed Aarons.
“Dunno if it’s of interest but I’m sketching the England fans at the Old Blue Last,”
Some early team updates have arrived courtesy of Jacob Steinberg.
“As predicted in today’s Super Soaraway Guardian, Jude Bellingham gets the nod at No10 for England. Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke are on the flanks, with the latter preferred to Bukayo Saka, who’s been trying to shake off an Achilles problem. Ezri Konsa is picked over Marc Guehi in central defense too.”
Looking for ways to pass the time? Our comprehensive Player Guide showcases every player traveling to North America this summer, featuring concise bios penned by experts worldwide. Notably, Trent Alexander-Arnold is absent, and that’s an Official Guardian Guarantee™.
For those interested in creativity, Bracketology allows fans to curate their ultimate World Cup fantasy. Explore the options, drag and drop, or simply shuffle for surprises. After testing the shuffle feature, I found that Curaçao defeated Iraq in the final, while England again failed to advance past the group stage. This coding might have been done in Glasgow! Nevertheless, it’s enjoyable, so give it a try!
As we enter day seven of the 2026 World Cup, England finally takes to the field. The excitement is palpable, and the echoes of past glories resonate. After much anticipation, the time has come for England to make their mark.
Debating whether Croatia was the ideal first opponent is a moot point. England boasts a youthful and dynamic squad, while Croatia’s core players are in their 30s, with their captain Luka Modric now in his fifth decade. However, Croatia’s pedigree, having reached the finals in 2018 and the semifinals in the last tournament, lends them invaluable experience.
The historical matchups between these two teams also weigh heavily. England has emerged victorious in their last two encounters, in November 2018 and during Euro 2020. Yet, Croatia triumphed in crucial matches, including Euro 2008 qualifiers and the 2018 World Cup semi-final, leaving a lasting impression. While England may have preferred to face Panama or Ghana to kick off their campaign, they now confront Croatia head-on. Kick-off is set for 9 PM BST, 3 PM local time at the Dallas Cowboys’ home in Arlington, Texas. The match is on!
