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World Cup 2026: England vs Croatia on 17 Jun 2026 finished 4:2.
England are in excellent form: 7-1-2 in their last 10, 2.1 scored and 0.6 conceded per game.
Croatia are in excellent form: 6-1-3 in their last 10, 2.0 scored and 1.4 conceded per game.
Over 2.5 lands in 40% of England's games and 80% of Croatia's; both teams score in 20% and 60%.
Chance quality: xG 2.8 vs 0.5, big chances 7 vs 2.
Head-to-head (5): England 3, Croatia 1, 1 draw.
Predicted: 1:0 (16%) · also likely 2:0 (12%)
Jordan Henderson fronted England's pre-match press conference ahead of their World Cup 2026 opener against Croatia, deflecting the 'squad glue' label onto the collective rather than himself. The debate over Bellingham versus Rogers for the number 10 role drew a diplomatic non-answer: Henderson called both players world-class and said the squad needs contributions from everyone regardless of starting status.
He reserved his strongest praise for Luka Modric, naming the Croatian as the best midfielder he has faced in his career — and admitting he has never seen him have a bad game. The match falls on Henderson's 36th birthday; he framed it as motivation, saying every player should treat each tournament as potentially their last.
After missing the previous Euros, Henderson acknowledged doubts crept in, but Thomas Tuchel's arrival and renewed hard work brought him back to the national team. Henderson singled out England's pre-tournament win over Costa Rica as the highest-quality warm-up performance he has witnessed in his career.
The overriding message was controlled focus: stick to the manager's plan, take it one game at a time, and let the performances speak.
▶ Watch on YouTubeBukayo Saka spoke to reporters on the eve of England's World Cup opener against Croatia and acknowledged he is not yet 100% fit, but insisted he is ready to play. Both Arsenal's and England's medical teams have managed his recovery since March, and he said he feels better now than at any point in the past few months.
At 24 he holds 49 caps across four major tournaments; one more appearance will take him past 50, a milestone he says he is not allowing himself to dwell on before the competition is done. Winning the Premier League with Arsenal, he argued, has given him and his club teammates a confidence and freedom they will carry into the World Cup.
Losing the Champions League final, he added, did not erase what the club achieved, and that perspective is now fully behind him. For the first-timers in the squad — Okafor, Anderson, Rogers — his advice was simple: enjoy it, be free, and play your own football.
The rivalry with Noni Madueke for the right-wing spot he described as unique: they push each other daily in training yet consider each other brothers. England's stated aim is the World Cup title and, in Saka's words, a second star for the country.
▶ Watch on YouTube| 1H | 2H | FT | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Shots on | 2 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 11 | 5 |
| Corners | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| Dangerous | 9 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 16 | 17 |
| Fouls | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Yellow | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Goals Threshold: 2,3 | Yellow cards Threshold: 4,5 | Corners Threshold: 8,5 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Total | Total | Total | ||||||
| Matches played | 20 | 20 | — | 20 | 20 | — | 20 | 20 | — |
| Total less | 10 50% | 8 40% | — | 16 80% | 17 85% | — | 6 30% | 6 30% | — |
| Total more | 10 50% | 12 60% | — | 4 20% | 3 15% | — | 14 70% | 14 70% | — |
| Matches home / away | 20 | 20 | — | 20 | 20 | — | 20 | 20 | — |
| Total less (home / away) | 12 60% | 9 45% | — | 17 85% | 18 90% | — | 7 35% | 7 35% | — |
| Total more (home / away) | 8 40% | 11 55% | — | 3 15% | 2 10% | — | 13 65% | 13 65% | — |
| Individual total (home / away) | 1,60 | 1,55 | 3,15 | 1,15 | 1,90 | 3,05 | 7,60 | 5,45 | 13,05 |
| Individual total (overall) | 2,25 | 2,05 | 4,30 | 1,00 | 1,70 | 2,70 | 7,60 | 6,35 | 13,95 |
| Avg total | 2,75 | 3,10 | 2,93 | 2,55 | 3,05 | 2,80 | 9,90 | 10,85 | 10,38 |
| Avg total (home / away) | 2,30 | 2,85 | 2,58 | 2,85 | 2,95 | 2,90 | 9,65 | 10,55 | 10,10 |
| Avg opponents' total | 0,50 | 1,05 | 1,55 | 1,55 | 1,35 | 2,90 | 2,30 | 4,50 | 6,80 |
| Avg opponents' total (home / away) | 0,70 | 1,30 | 2,00 | 1,70 | 1,05 | 2,75 | 2,05 | 5,10 | 7,15 |
| Predicted total | — | — | 3,44 | — | — | 2,80 | — | — | 12,03 |
| Date | League | Home | Away | % | On | Off | DA | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13.06.21 | Euro 2020 | England | Croatia | 1 | 0 | 51% | 43% | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 35 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18.11.18 | Nations League | England | Croatia | 2 | 1 | 64% | 36% | 7 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 68 | 23 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 12.10.18 | Nations League | Croatia | England | 0 | 0 | 48% | 52% | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 11.07.18 | Cup 2018 | Croatia | England | 2 | 1 | 51% | 49% | 9 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 82 | 80 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
No common opponents in the past year.
Matches with the same favourite/underdog setup by the bookmaker line.
Record 2-1-2 (W-D-L), 2.0 scored / 1.0 conceded avg.
| Date | League | Home | Away | xG | % | On | Off | DA | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31.03.26 | International Match | England | Japan | 0 | 1 | 0.99 | 0.58 | 70% | 30% | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 72 | 26 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 27.03.26 | International Match | England | Uruguay | 1 | 1 | — | — | 55% | 45% | 5 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 51 | 28 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 09.09.25 | Nations League | Serbia | England | 0 | 5 | 0.08 | 4.49 | 30% | 70% | 0 | 12 | 3 | 12 | 19 | 64 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 10.06.25 | Friendlies | England | Senegal | 1 | 3 | 1.37 | 1.63 | 61% | 39% | 4 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 35 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 14.11.24 | Nations League | Greece | England | 0 | 3 | 0.56 | 1.20 | 44% | 56% | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 37 | 47 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Record 2-0-3 (W-D-L), 1.2 scored / 1.6 conceded avg.
| Date | League | Home | Away | xG | % | On | Off | DA | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01.04.26 | International Match | Brazil | Croatia | 3 | 1 | 2.21 | 1.04 | 46% | 54% | 7 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 31 | 38 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 27.03.26 | Friendlies | Colombia | Croatia | 1 | 2 | — | — | 58% | 42% | 5 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 62 | 25 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 23.03.25 | Nations League | France | Croatia | 2 | 0 | 2.60 | 0.18 | 64% | 36% | 8 | 0 | 20 | 5 | 118 | 26 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| 20.03.25 | Nations League | Croatia | France | 2 | 0 | 1.42 | 1.58 | 38% | 62% | 4 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 26 | 69 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 2 |
| 05.09.24 | Nations League | Portugal | Croatia | 2 | 1 | 1.34 | 0.68 | 50% | 50% | 6 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 45 | 60 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| Date | League | Home | Away | xG | % | On | Off | DA | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.06.26 | International Match | England | Costa Rica | 3 | 0 | 4.62 | 0.03 | 82% | 18% | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 1 | 0 | 4 | — | — |
| 06.06.26 | Friendlies | England | New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 1.49 | 0.11 | 72% | 28% | 4 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 79 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31.03.26 | International Match | England | Japan | 0 | 1 | 0.99 | 0.58 | 70% | 30% | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 72 | 26 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 27.03.26 | International Match | England | Uruguay | 1 | 1 | — | — | 55% | 45% | 5 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 51 | 28 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 16.11.25 | Nations League | Albania | England | 0 | 2 | 0.48 | 1.59 | 30% | 70% | 3 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 26 | 57 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 14.11.25 | Friendlies | England | Argentina | 0 | 2 | 0.44 | 1.50 | 34% | 66% | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 33 | 38 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 13.11.25 | Nations League | England | Serbia | 2 | 0 | 1.32 | 0.57 | 70% | 30% | 6 | 1 | 13 | 8 | 63 | 20 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 14.10.25 | Nations League | Latvia | England | 0 | 5 | 0.40 | 2.36 | 28% | 72% | 1 | 7 | 5 | 17 | 17 | 124 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 09.10.25 | Friendlies | England | Wales | 3 | 0 | — | — | 64% | 36% | 5 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 72 | 37 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 09.09.25 | Nations League | Serbia | England | 0 | 5 | 0.08 | 4.49 | 30% | 70% | 0 | 12 | 3 | 12 | 19 | 64 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Date | League | Home | Away | xG | BC | % | On | Off | DA | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07.06.26 | International Match | Croatia | Slovenia | 2 | 1 | 1.62 | 1.83 | 67% | 33% | 6 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 64 | 25 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 02.06.26 | Friendlies | Croatia | Belgium | 0 | 2 | 0.50 | 0.66 | 1 | 1 | 57% | 43% | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 40 | 33 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 01.04.26 | International Match | Brazil | Croatia | 3 | 1 | 2.21 | 1.04 | 46% | 54% | 7 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 31 | 38 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 27.03.26 | Friendlies | Colombia | Croatia | 1 | 2 | — | — | 58% | 42% | 5 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 62 | 25 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 17.11.25 | Nations League | Montenegro | Croatia | 2 | 3 | 0.85 | 2.89 | 37% | 63% | 5 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 23 | 77 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 14.11.25 | Nations League | Croatia | Faroe Islands | 3 | 1 | 2.70 | 0.19 | 76% | 24% | 4 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 106 | 19 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 12.10.25 | Nations League | Croatia | Gibraltar | 3 | 0 | 3.72 | 0.01 | 80% | 20% | 8 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 107 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 09.10.25 | Nations League | Czech Republic | Croatia | 0 | 0 | 0.49 | 0.76 | 42% | 58% | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 40 | 37 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 08.09.25 | Nations League | Croatia | Montenegro | 4 | 0 | 3.11 | 0.14 | 75% | 25% | 12 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 122 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 05.09.25 | Nations League | Faroe Islands | Croatia | 0 | 1 | 1.04 | 2.75 | 26% | 74% | 3 | 8 | 3 | 16 | 41 | 83 | 3 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
03:23Saka trains with England squad ahead of Ghana match
01:24Tuchel's demands keep England sharp in Ghana preparations
21.06Rice praises Tuchel's tactical mastery in England's Croatia victory
21.06Partey available for England showdown with visa resolved