WORLD CUP: Three Talking Points from England 4-2 Croatia…

Joe Citrone discusses the key talking points from England’s 4-2 win over Croatia in their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener, including Harry Kane’s record-breaking display, England’s set-piece dominance, defensive concerns, and Jordan Pickford’s surprise struggles.

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Kane the GOAT

Not only did Kane fire home twice to level Gary Lineker’s record of 10 World Cup goals, he was also throwing himself into defensive action, producing a last-ditch block late on to preserve England’s two-goal advantage.

He really is the ultimate player: ruthless in front of goal, selfless without the ball, and decisive when it matters most. With pace and runners all around him, England look equipped to maximise every facet of Kane’s game. When he drops deep, there are players ready to burst beyond him, creating space for him to dictate play with his passing before arriving in the box to do what he does best – score goals for fun.

Set Piece FC

Set pieces could be one of England’s main weapons this tournament. Croatia knew exactly what was coming – manager Zlatko Dalic revealed they had done extra work preparing for England’s dead-ball threat – yet they still couldn’t handle it. Every delivery caused chaos.

In tournament football, where margins are razor-thin, this could be priceless for the Three Lions.

Shaky Defence Causes Concerns

On a less positive note, I was far from convinced by England defensively.

I’m still not sold on the partnership between Ezri Konsa and John Stones. For me, Marc Guehi has to come back into the side. England looked too open at times, particularly against a Croatia team that never truly looked capable of matching them.

Perhaps the bigger surprise was Jordan Pickford. England’s Mr Reliable looked anything but. Usually so assured, he seemed as shaky as he was sunburnt. One off-day isn’t a reason to panic, but it is something to keep an eye on given how important he has been to England’s success in recent tournaments.