England and Croatia thrill fans in chaotic World Cup opener

England and Croatia opened their 2026 World Cup campaigns overnight between Wednesday and Thursday with a wild, high-scoring match that drew huge reaction online. England led twice, Croatia equalized twice, and then Jude Bellingham scored England’s third goal at the start of the second half to restore the lead.

The article says both teams created many clear chances and were close to scoring even more, making the match feel open and relentless throughout. The coverage describes the contest as “the craziest game in the tournament” and “absolute madness,” with social media users repeatedly praising it as a match that “could not disappoint.”

Among the reactions quoted, one post called it “the game of the tournament,” another described it as “absolute cinema,” and another celebrated Bellingham’s strike with “Ohhhhhhh Jude!” Marc Stein wrote after the goal, “And just like that Bellingham makes it 3-2. This could be anything!”

The article also cites another reaction saying “Livakovic became Buffon,” referring to Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, and notes that the online response matched the drama on the pitch. The match was reported by Sport 5 on June 18, 2026 at 00:28, as the two sides began their World Cup 2026 run in spectacular fashion.