Two Squads Carrying Old Wounds Into a New Tournament
England vs Croatia at AT&T Stadium on June 17 opens Group L. The Three Lions face Modrić’s Croatia in a 2018 echo. Tactics, key players, predictions.
- June 17, 2026 Wednesday
- AT&T Stadium
- Kick-Off 4:00 PM
Two squads carrying old wounds into a new tournament.
In 2018, Croatia beat England in the World Cup semifinal in Moscow. Mario Mandžukić’s extra-time goal. A nation crying. A Croatian dressing room in delirium. The English emotional residue from that match has lasted years.
The two nations have crossed paths multiple times since — including in Group D of Euro 2024, where England won 1-0 in a far less dramatic affair. The accumulated history is now thick enough to fill a small book. And on June 17, 2026, they meet again — this time in Arlington, Texas, at AT&T Stadium, in the opening match of Group L at the FIFA World Cup.
England arrive as one of the favorites, with Jude Bellingham at the peak of his powers, Phil Foden a generational creator, Harry Kane still the country’s most reliable scorer, and a manager who has spent the entire cycle preparing for this exact moment. Croatia arrive with the rare combination of veteran experience (Luka Modrić, almost certainly at his last World Cup at age 40) and emerging talent.
The match itself is going to feel like a chapter in a longer story. Pull up a chair.
Everything you need at kickoff
- Date
- Wed, June 17, 2026
- Kickoff (USA)
- 4:00 p.m. ET 1:00 p.m. PT
- Venue
- AT&T Stadium Arlington, Texas
- Group
- Group L ENG · CRO · GHA · PAN
- Stage
- Matchday 1 Group Stage
- Capacity
- 80,000+ expandable
- Weather
- Domed stadium climate-controlled
AT&T Stadium has been retrofitted with a tournament-grade pitch. The atmosphere inside the dome for a World Cup match will be unlike anything the venue has hosted before.
The 2018 ghosts, a generational hand-off, and the group’s opening tone
For England, the equation is direct. The 2018 semifinal pain. The 2022 quarterfinal exit to France. The Euro 2024 final loss to Spain. The Three Lions have been close, repeatedly, and never quite over the line. The expectation is no longer “compete.” It is “win.” Anything less than reaching the final will be considered an underperformance.
For Croatia, the question is generational. Modrić’s farewell. The hand-off from the 2018 generation to whatever comes next. Zlatko Dalić’s tactical fingerprint. A nation that has, against any reasonable expectation, made two World Cup semifinals in the last three tournaments. They are not here to be footnotes.
Group L also contains Ghana, an emerging African football power, and Panama, a Concacaf side that has matured through multiple qualifying cycles.
The team that wins on Matchday 1 immediately sets the group’s tone.
Five storylines in Group L’s heavyweight opener
The 2018 echo
The semifinal loss in Moscow remains one of the most emotionally weighty moments in modern English football history.
Bellingham’s coming-of-age tournament
A player who has matured into one of the three best midfielders in the world.
Modrić’s final World Cup
Almost certainly. A career-defining last chapter.
The England manager’s cycle
The cycle has produced a settled tactical identity.
Croatia’s stubborn excellence
A nation of four million people producing two semifinals in three tournaments is one of football’s quiet miracles.
Tale of the tape
England have been one of the most consistent international teams of the past decade. Multiple deep tournament runs have produced confidence and clarity, even if the trophy has remained elusive.
Croatia have been one of the most overachieving international teams of the past decade. Two semifinals in three World Cups, multiple Euros appearances, and a settled spine despite generational transition.
A flexible 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 hybrid that prioritizes possession, intelligent pressing and creative midfield combinations. The current squad’s identity has evolved over multiple cycles.
A 4-3-3 designed around midfield control, intelligent ball circulation and disciplined defensive structure. Dalić’s hallmark is tactical maturity.
Multiple aerial targets, with Kane as the primary threat and Bellingham as an emerging set-piece scorer.
Multiple aerial targets; Modrić’s set-piece delivery remains world-class.
- Jude Bellingham — among the three best midfielders at the tournament
- Phil Foden — a creator capable of decisive moments
- Harry Kane — still elite, still reliable, still the squad’s primary scorer
- Bukayo Saka — direct, technical, capable of changing matches
- Midfield depth that any nation would envy
- Luka Modrić — even at 40, capable of decisive moments
- A goalkeeper in Dominik Livaković with World Cup pedigree
- A midfield combination of veterans and emerging talents
- Tournament-tested mentality from multiple deep runs
- Center-back combinations are still being settled
- Tournament finals — England have lost recent major finals and the mental hurdle is real
- Defensive transitions under pressure
- Generational transition is genuinely in progress
- Pace at fullback against the elite can be exploited
- Striker output has been a tournament-long question
Both teams want midfield control through different methods
The chess match here is fascinating because both teams want midfield control through different methods.
England’s plan: Use Bellingham’s runs to attack Croatia’s space between the lines; press Croatia’s buildup to deny Modrić his rhythm; convert set pieces — England have been one of the better set-piece teams across recent cycles; control tempo through intelligent ball circulation.
Croatia’s plan: Slow the match down via Modrić’s calm metronome; deploy a disciplined deep midfielder — likely Pasalic or Vlasic — to screen the defence and recycle possession; counter into the spaces left by England’s high fullbacks; frustrate England — every minute without an English goal benefits Croatia psychologically.
The first 25 minutes will be the cagiest. Both teams know the importance of starting well. England, as favorites, want to control. Croatia, as veterans, want to make it ugly.
The names that decide it
The face of the new generation. Decisive, technical, fearless.
A creator with elite ball-control.
Captain. Reliable goal-scorer. A career of close-but-not-quite tournament moments.
Press-resistant, intelligent, tactically essential.
Direct, technical, capable of changing matches against tired defenses.
Captain. Legend. The most decorated Croatian footballer ever.
A versatile defender with elite ball-playing ability.
A press-resistant central midfielder with European pedigree.
A veteran goal-scorer with tournament pedigree.
Penalty-saving specialist from the 2022 World Cup quarterfinal.
Rising Stars & Breakout Candidates
England: Young attackers and midfielders from the Premier League continue to push for tournament minutes.
Croatia: A new generation of Croatian midfielders is emerging from Hajduk Split, Dinamo Zagreb and European clubs.
Eight years of history, one legendary midfielder, and a dome unlike any other
The 2018 semifinal
Croatia beat England 2-1 after extra time at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Recent meetings
England won 1-0 in Group D of Euro 2024 in their most recent competitive fixture.
Modrić’s tournament record
Among the most decorated midfielders in modern football history.
AT&T Stadium tournament prominence
Multiple World Cup matches will be hosted here.
English diaspora in Texas
A substantial English supporter contingent will arrive from across the U.S.
White, red and white, and Texas hospitality under the dome
The Dallas-Fort Worth metro is one of the most diverse in the United States. Expect a pre-match fan festival at AT&T Stadium plaza with food and entertainment; a substantial English supporter contingent in white, with “It’s coming home” chants echoing through the dome; a vibrant Croatian-American community in red and white; and local Texas football culture providing a welcoming baseline.
For visiting supporters, Dallas offers excellent food, hotels and a tournament-ready welcome.
Fantasy & Betting Angle — informational only
Bellingham anytime scorer: consistent fantasy returns.
Kane assists or goals: the captain delivers in openers historically.
Croatia clean sheet: plausible if Modrić controls tempo.
A wildcard: Saka’s chances created.
Play responsibly.
Best guess at kickoff
Lineups are best estimates based on recent form. Late changes possible.
Luka Modrić assists the opening goal of the match — for Croatia.
A perfectly weighted through-ball in the 28th minute. The image of him pointing at the scorer becomes one of the iconic photographs of the tournament. England equalize and eventually win, but Modrić has reminded the world of his ongoing relevance.
One Player Nobody Is Talking About
Joško Gvardiol. Croatia’s versatile defender will quietly handle England’s wide attacks. His ability to defend space and step into midfield will determine whether Croatia control the match’s structural rhythm.
England fall behind early, equalize through a Bellingham strike, and win it through a Kane finish in the second half. Croatia compete throughout but cannot overcome England’s depth. Man of the match: Jude Bellingham.
Few group-stage matches arrive with this much accumulated narrative
This match carries the weight of two decades of England-Croatia history. The 2018 ghosts. The Euro 2024 result. The generational transition Croatia is navigating. The tournament expectations England carry. Few group-stage matches arrive with this much accumulated narrative.
If England play within themselves and trust their depth, they win. If Croatia can slow the match through Modrić’s calm tempo and force England into anxiety, the result becomes very different. AT&T Stadium will sound louder than the venue’s NFL Sundays.
Set your alarm. This one is worth watching.