June 17, 2026 8:30 pm
Tuchel begins first major tournament as England boss
He has managed in Champions League finals and won won league titles before, but, tonight, Thomas Tuchel takes charge of his first game at a World Cup.
England have been strong under Tuchel since he took charge in January of last year and now face their first significant test.
His predecessor, Gareth Southgate, left after England were beaten by Spain in the Euro 2024 final and had a good record in tournament group stages.
England lost just one of their 12 major tournament group-stage games under Southgate, winning seven and drawing four.
The only defeat came when they had already booked their spot out of the group, when they lost to Belgium at the 2018 World Cup.
June 17, 2026 8:25 pm
How have England performed in recent World Cup openers?
The Three Lions won both of their opening games under Gareth Southgate, while their record before that was slightly hit and miss.
Victories against Iran (6-2) in 2022 and Tunisia (2-1) in 2018 came under Southgate, while their only defeat since 1986 came when they lost 2-1 to Italy in 2014.
In 2010, the United States held England to a 1-1 draw as Rob Green let a Clint Dempsey effort slip through his hands.
Things were better in Germany in 2006 as they beat Paraguay 1-0, while they drew 1-1 with Sweden in 2002 and beat Tunisia 2-0 in 1998.
June 17, 2026 8:20 pm
Croatia will be confident of beating England again
You will probably hear pundits muse over whether Croatia’s powers are fading. Finalists at the 2018 World Cup and third four years later, it was their abrupt Euro 2024 group-stage exit which signalled this ageing squad is in need of a facelift.
Luka Modric, on 198 caps, is now 40 but remains an integral member of this team, while strikers Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric are 37 and 34 respectively.
Croatia will be leaning on experience heavily; therefore, with Kramaric (six) and Perisic (four) leading the way for goals in their World Cup qualifiers.
And what of the next generation? 19-year-old Luka Vuskovic starts, the Tottenham Hotspur centre-back who has recently been linked with Brighton & Hove Albion, while Manchester City’s 24-year-old Josko Gvardiol is set to have the task of sticking to Kane like glue.
They’ll be confident of beating England again, but recent friendly defeats to Belgium (2-0) and Brazil (3-1) prove they are not impenetrable.
Read more here .
June 17, 2026 8:17 pm
‘We’re itching to go’ – Konsa
Ezri Konsa says he places making an appearance at the World Cup at the “top” of the occasions in his career and “to finally be here is a dream come true.”
Speaking to ITV, he adds: “It’s really nice to have a bit of AC in the stadium when we’re playing. It’s nice and cool so that will suit us well. Just looking forward to getting started.
“We know our game plan and what we need to do for today’s game. The intensity has to be there from the get-go.
“We’re itching to go, we’re ready to go.”
June 17, 2026 8:15 pm
Welcome to Dallas
The stadium is the home of National Football League side Dallas Cowboys (Photo: PA) There will, of course, be hydration breaks tonight. But they’re probably not needed.
While there are scorching temperatures in Dallas, the stadium – known at Dallas Stadium for the World Cup, but usually AT&T Stadium – is air conditioned and has a roof.
As it is usually home to American Football, it features a temporary grass pitch like many of the other grounds at this World Cup.
June 17, 2026 8:10 pm
‘Konsa’s physicality the perfect complement for Stones’
Reporting from Dallas Stadium
So it is John Stones and Ezra Konsa who get the nod at centre-back, as we predicted earlier this week. Despite starting once in the Premier League since March, Stones’ tournament know-how edged him ahead of Marc Guehi. Tuchel, like Pep Guardiola, is a huge Stones fan. Konsa’s physicality is seen as the perfect complement for Stones’ ability on the ball. Not many would have foreseen Guehi missing out on this a few months ago. But Tuchel rarely goes with convention.
June 17, 2026 8:05 pm
Modric playing at his fifth World Cup
20 years on from his first World Cup appearance, Luka Modric captains Croatia tonight.
The 40-year-old is playing in his fifth World Cup. He plays club football for AC Milan after having left Real Madrid in 2025.
He isn’t even the oldest player to start today. That stat belongs to Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41 years and 132 days.
Croatia did not qualify for South Africa 2010.
Luka Modric has played at the 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026 World Cups
June 17, 2026 8:00 pm
‘Stones and Konsa look like the first-choice pairing’
Reporting from Dallas Stadium
Bukayo Saka said on Monday that he was happy with his fitness and prepared to “gamble” on starting games out here in the US but England’s attitude is that he’s so important they don’t want to risk him just yet. It’s a long three and a bit weeks ahead and this is match one of an extended tournament.
Madueke was…
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