Tuchel sticks with England lineup for Croatia World Cup opener

Thomas Tuchel kept faith with the same structure he used against Costa Rica, but the selection for England’s World Cup 2026 opener against Croatia also showed where his real leverage lies: on the bench. Jude Bellingham started, while Bukayo Saka and Morgan Rogers were among the major names held back as England prepared to kick off at 21:00 BST at Dallas Stadium in Arlington.

The decision sharpened the stakes around a meeting that already carried old tension. Croatia were England’s opponents in the 2018 World Cup semi-final, and Tuchel had to shape his side for a contest that demanded more than a familiar XI. The German coach had expected a different Croatia set-up and was forced to think in terms of changing the press and the attacking plan, not just picking names on reputation.

That approach fits the way Tuchel has framed his job since the Football Association appointed him on 16 October 2024 with an explicit charge to win the 2026 World Cup. The FA then extended his contract until 2028 on 12 February 2026, signaling that his mandate is longer than one tournament and that his methods are meant to reshape England’s international identity, not merely manage a single squad.

Tuchel has been clear that international football is about chemistry, not hierarchy. He has argued that players are selected for fit, balance and tactical use rather than status, and England’s perfect qualifying run underlined why he feels entitled to take that view: eight wins from eight matches, no goals conceded. In that context, leaving Saka out of the starting lineup was not a retreat from ambition but a calculation about when his impact would matter most.

England’s depth has become part of the strategy. Against stronger opponents, Tuchel is treating substitutions as a weapon designed to change tempo, press and attacking rhythm late in matches, rather than as insurance for tired legs. If England are to go deep in this World Cup, the message from Dallas was already plain: the bench is not backup. It is one of Tuchel’s central tools.