First look at England, one of the tournament favorites.
A rematch of the 2018 World Cup semi-final.
Can Harry Kane begin pursuit of Golden Boot?
The 2026 World Cup is in full swing, and two European heavyweights, England and Croatia, are set to face off in their opening matches of the tournament. As the two top teams in Group L, it is a crucial game that could go a long way in determining who will top the group.
25+ sports markets. Generous welcome bonus. Frequent odds-boosts. T&Cs and 21+ apply
A rematch of their 2018 semi-final, England and Croatia find themselves in pretty different places for the 2026 tournament.
England is one of the top contenders to win the tournament, as well as a heavy favorite to top Group L. A first tournament under Thomas Tuchel comes after the best run of results for an England side arguably ever, with two Euro finals appearances. And expectations are high, with a squad full of quality and led by star striker Harry Kane. Meanwhile, Croatia are in a transitional period as some of the stars of its golden generation are playing in their final tournament, and a new wave of talent is still maturing.
England is at full strength ahead of the start of its World Cup campaign, with no injury concerns. The deciding battle of this matchup should play in the center of the pitch, where a 40-year-old Luka Modric still roams. He suffered a fractured cheekbone in April but is set to be fit for the tournament. Modric pulls all the strings for Croatia, so how well England can keep him limited is key. Declan Rice has evolved into one of the most complete midfielders, and Elliott Anderson is a fellow all-arounder. The duo is locked into the starting XI and have the quality to run the game, despite Modric’s wealth of experience.
The question of England’s No. 10 is also yet to be answered, though Jude Bellingham seems on track to get the nod over Morgan Rogers. It’s a logical decision. Kane works best with players who can run beyond him and stretch the defense, and Bellingham excels there. His athleticism and power could be a nightmare for one of the tournament’s oldest teams.
England (-135)
While England didn’t look like potential tournament winners during its run of friendly games, you’d be naive to dismiss an unbeaten qualifying campaign. Even priced at the clear match favorite at BetMGM, one of the top World Cup betting sites, we like backing England at -135.
Tuchel courted controversy by focusing on picking players that fit his scheme, at the expense of big names like Cole Palmer and Phil Foden. But England should be a far more cohesive and balanced side, relying on a set starting XI and a handful of key other players. This could cause issues down the road in a long and grueling tournament. But we’re betting on England to come out of the gates swinging against a Croatia side that looked vulnerable in friendly losses to Belgium and Brazil.
Under 2.5 Goals (-135)
England waltzed through the qualifying stage, not allowing a single goal in its eight wins. So while England’s defense will be far more thoroughly tested during the World Cup, Croatia isn’t set up to do that. They averaged a goal a game in three warm-up games against Belgium, Colombia, and Brazil – teams of a similar quality to England. Ante Budimir produced a solid season in La Liga, but isn’t a top striker, and Croatia lacks threats elsewhere.
Conversely, England also plays a somewhat conservative style under Tuchel, relying on counterattacks. In England’s four games before the World Cup, they scored just one goal three times. The team looked far more cohesive in attack during a 3-0 win over Costa Rica in the final game, but under Tuchel, this isn’t a team that will routinely rack up the goals against top competition.
Harry Kane (+125)
Look, you don’t get points for originality with anytime goalscorer picks. Kane is the most lethal goalscorer in world football and is coming off a career season, scoring 61 goals in 53 games for Bayern Munich. In what we expect to be a low-scoring game, it’s smart to go with the most likely player to find the back of the net. Kane’s incredible movement skills and finishing ability should be too much for an aging Croatia side.
25+ sports markets. Generous welcome bonus. Frequent odds-boosts. T&Cs and 21+ apply
Loading …
