England opens its 2026 World Cup campaign in Dallas against Croatia, the same opponent that eliminated it in the 2018 semifinal in Moscow. The match revives painful memories for England, which has not won the World Cup since lifting the trophy at Wembley in 1966, a drought now stretching six decades.
Coach Thomas Tuchel said he wants supporters to enjoy the journey and see the commitment of the players over the past 16 days. “We are dreaming. We have the right to dream,” said Tuchel, the first German to lead England at a World Cup, “but we do not want to be detached from reality. Our responsibility is to put in every effort, and then accept the result.”
England believes this squad is more mature than previous ones, with many players having already experienced Euro finals, semifinals and other major tournaments. Captain Harry Kane, 32, is starting his sixth World Cup and said this has been his best season personally, not only in goals but in how it ended. “I feel in great shape, physically and mentally,” he said, adding that this is “one of the best opportunities” for his generation to win a title.
Croatia arrives unbeaten from qualifying, with 26 goals scored and six points more than the Czech Republic, and has finished on the podium in each of the last two World Cups, second in 2018 and third in 2022. Luka Modric is expected to become the first Croatian to play in five World Cups in what would be his final appearance on the sport’s biggest stage. Kane called Modric “one of the greatest professionals I have met,” while Tuchel warned that Croatia’s midfield, led by Modric and Mateo Kovacic, remains the team’s core. England knows the pressure is heavy, but in Dallas, before tens of thousands of English fans, it begins another attempt to finally end the wait.
