England thrill in 4-2 win over Croatia as Tuchel makes statement

England left Dallas Stadium with three points, four goals and a sense that Thomas Tuchel may already be changing the national team’s mood. In a 4-2 win over Croatia on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, England attacked with a tempo and purpose rarely seen in recent years, even if the defensive looseness served as a warning as loud as the celebration.

Harry Kane set the tone before kick-off by telling his team-mates to be “free in the mind”, and England played with that looseness from the start. Kane scored twice, equalling Gary Lineker’s England World Cup record of 10 goals, while Jude Bellingham restored the lead moments after half-time and Marcus Rashford finished the job late. The result looked convincing on the scoreboard, but it was far from controlled. Croatia twice found space to punish England’s defensive frailty, especially in the first half, and Tuchel’s expression suggested he understood the danger as clearly as the excitement.

What stood out most was the shift in personality. England had often been a hard watch in the Southgate years, even while reaching the Euro 2024 final and the World Cup quarter-final in Qatar four years ago. Those runs brought results but rarely the kind of football that dragged supporters to the edge of their seats. In Dallas, the pattern was different. England pressed forward with greater risk, moved the ball faster and attacked in waves, particularly after half-time when Croatia were pinned back for long spells and survived only until Rashford struck to settle the contest.

There were still selection questions Tuchel will have to answer. Ezri Konsa started ahead of Manchester City defender Marc Guehi, a call that remains contentious after Croatia exposed England’s back line in moments of stress. Tuchel could barely disguise his displeasure at the defensive work, even while watching the side produce an opening statement that will have carried well beyond the stadium into the warm Texas night.

The final image belonged to Tuchel and Jürgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager and TV pundit, who were spotted together after the match. For England, though, the more important image was the one from the stands: supporters leaving Dallas buoyed by a win that was entertaining, imperfect and, for the first time in a long time, unmistakably ambitious.