England vs Croatia prediction 17.06.2026 | FIFA World Cup 2026

England enter the tournament in strong form and with high hopes of ending their 60-year World Cup title drought. Since Tuchel's appointment, the Three Lions have looked increasingly cohesive, recording recent victories over Albania, New Zealand and Costa Rica while remaining defensively solid. Their final warm-up matches ended with consecutive clean-sheet victories against New Zealand (1-0) and Costa Rica (3-0), extending a promising run ahead of the World Cup.

The squad is packed with attacking talent. Captain Harry Kane remains the focal point up front, supported by Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Morgan Rogers and Anthony Gordon. Tuchel has also hinted at tactical flexibility, even experimenting with Bellingham in advanced attacking roles during preparations. 

Defensively, England have been difficult to break down, conceding just one goal across their last four matches. No major injury concerns have emerged in the final days before the opener, allowing Tuchel to select from a virtually full-strength squad. Expectations are understandably high given England's flawless qualification campaign and status among the leading contenders for the trophy.

Croatia arrive at what could be the final World Cup appearance for several members of their golden generation. Luka Modrić, now 40, continues to captain the side and remains the heartbeat of Zlatko Dalić's midfield. Alongside him, players such as Joško Gvardiol, Mateo Kovačić and Dominik Livaković provide a blend of quality and experience.

The 2018 World Cup finalists concluded their preparations with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Slovenia, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Mario Pašalić. However, they had previously suffered a 2-0 defeat to Belgium and a 3-1 loss against Brazil, highlighting some defensive vulnerabilities against a so-called elite opposition.

Fitness remains a concern for Dalić. Several key players, including Modrić, Gvardiol and Kovačić, have recently recovered from injury issues and may not yet be at peak sharpness. The Croatia coach has openly admitted the importance of avoiding defeat in the opener, describing the match as one that could define the entire group-stage campaign.