England beat Croatia 4-2 to set up potential Portugal knockout clash at World Cup 2026

England opened their World Cup 2026 campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia in Group L, with Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford among the scorers as Thomas Tuchel’s side recovered from twice surrendering the lead in the first half to dominate after the break.

Bellingham struck just two minutes into the second half, finishing off a 23-pass move that signalled a clear shift in England’s intensity. Rashford then sealed the result with five minutes of normal time remaining, giving the Three Lions a commanding start to the tournament.

The win leaves England well placed to top Group L — a realistic prospect given Croatia was considered their most difficult group-stage opponent on paper. If England do finish first, they will face the third-placed team from Group K, a group that contains Portugal, Colombia, DR Congo, and Uzbekistan.

A potential meeting with Portugal so early in the knockout rounds carries obvious historical weight. England lost to Portugal on penalties at Euro 2004 following a 2-2 draw, and suffered the same fate at the 2006 World Cup — a match remembered as much for Wayne Rooney’s red card as for another shootout exit at Cristiano Ronaldo’s hands.

Portugal are widely expected to advance from Group K, though their path is not without difficulty. A fixture against Colombia represents a genuine challenge, while DR Congo and Uzbekistan would be more manageable opponents. Whether Portugal finish first or third in the group will determine whether England face them in the round of 16 or potentially later in the competition.

England’s performance against Croatia, particularly in the second half, suggested Tuchel has his side moving with purpose and cohesion. Whether that is enough to finally end the cycle of Portuguese heartbreak remains to be seen.