England captain Harry Kane scored twice in FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match against Croatia at the Dallas Stadium on Wednesday.
Published: June 18, 2026, 1:00 PM IST
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England’s Harry Kane celebrates after scoring against Croatia in FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match in Dallas on Wednesday. (Photo: IANS)
England vs Croatia FIFA World Cup 2026: It was the Harry Kane show at the Dallas Stadium on Wednesday as one of the title favourites England hammered 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia 4-2 in a FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match. England captain Kane scored a brace to move past Cristiano Ronaldo’s tally of World Cup goals and level with Gary Linekar of England.
Kane, who had won the Golden Boot in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia with six goals, now has 10 strikes in World Cup matches – level with Gary Linekar for England. The English skipper also became just the second England player to score at three different FIFA World Cup tournament – 2018, 2022 and 2026 – same as David Beckham, who had achieved this feat in 1998, 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
“He just told us to let the shackles off. The way we conceded that second goal is not the team we want to be. He finally just said, ‘What’s the worst that can happen? We lose the match, first group game, we get on with it.’ We move on. Just go and kind of show the world who we can be,” Kane said about coach Thomas Tuchel’s message at half-time of the Croatia match.
Kane opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a retaken penalty and has now scored the most penalties (excluding shootouts) in FIFA World Cup history (5). He has also completed 200 goals for club and country since joining Bayern Munich. Kane has scored 200 goals in 178 matches since heading to Germany from Tottenham Hotspur.
The 32-year-old striker’s first goal came on his second attempt on a penalty kick after Croatian goalkeeper Livakovic’s save on the first try was nullified by VAR as it showed both his feet off the goal line as Kane was striking the ball.
Martin Baturina and Petar Musa replied each of Kane’s first-half goals in clash which was a rematch of the 2018 World Cup semifinal won by Croatia. Musa’s goal came on the final play before the whistle ending the first half.
Kane equaled Lineker’s record when the Bayern Munich striker easily beat Livakovic with a powerful header off a corner kick from Declan Rice. Kane has 81 international goals.
WATCH Harry Kane’s second goal vs Croatia HERE…
HARRY KANE GIVES ENGLAND THE LEAD AGAIN!
England 2-1 Croatia.pic.twitter.com/DsJDihw7lg
— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) June 17, 2026
“We scored two goals that were good actions and good situations, but they were too little. England was very difficult, (we) also have to be strong on the defensive side,” Croatia coach Zlatco Dalic was quoted as saying by AP news agency.
Bellingham almost immediately had another great scoring chance after the Real Madrid player’s seventh international goal. “We could have scored probably three goals in that 20-minute spell coming out (after halftime). In the end, we just had too much for a great team that will probably go far in the tournament themselves,” Kane said.
England’s next opponent in Group L will be Ghana in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, the same day Croatia plays Panama in Toronto.
