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England 4 - 2 Croatia at the FIFA World Cup 2026 (Group L · Matchday 1). Full-time result, predicted and confirmed lineups, formations (4-2-3-1 vs 4-3-3), key players including Harry Kane and Declan Rice and Ivan Perišić and Andrej Kramarić, and match analysis — updated on FootballDream.
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England edge in as slight favourites against Croatia, but the margins are fine. England's biggest threat runs through Harry Kane and Declan Rice, while Croatia will pin their hopes on Ivan Perišić and Andrej Kramarić. Points here could prove decisive in Group L · Matchday 1. The match is staged at AT&T Stadium, Arlington. The predicted XIs reflect current form and squad news; official lineups are confirmed about an hour before kick-off. Make your own call — predict the result, exact score and goalscorers on FootballDream before kick-off.
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England line up in a 4-2-3-1, Croatia in a 4-3-3. England will expect the bulk of possession and the task of breaking down a compact block, while Croatia are likely to defend deeper and look to spring Ivan Perišić and Andrej Kramarić on the counter. Whether Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham can dictate tempo will shape how open the game becomes. Set pieces and the opening goal often tilt tight group games like this.
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- England: Harry Kane, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham — 4-2-3-1 match.formationSuffix
- Croatia: Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić, Ante Budimir — 4-3-3 match.formationSuffix
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