- England have won three, drawn one and lost just one of their last five matches.
- Croatia have won seven, drawn one and lost two of their last ten games in all competitions.
- Zlatko Dalić's side have two wins and one defeat in their last three away.
Egos left at the venue
A clash of the new and the old, Thomas Tuchel's new England and Croatia, a team of World Cup veterans, will meet in the opener of Group L at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, USA on Wednesday.
Tuchel has had an interesting first few months in charge of the England after getting the job in January 2025, but has set up a pragmatic, system-first approach that allows for flair to be brought into the equation when the occasion demands it.
This has generally been seen in the build-up play, where Jude Bellingham's ability to run at defenders from deep has been a constant feature of the Three Lions' style of play. Harry Kane has struck three of England's seven goals in their last five games and remains the biggest threat, but the addition of Phil Foden's ability to unlock defenders and play pinpoint passes makes this attacking line-up a tough nut to crack.
Croatia will set up to counter this with patient, midfield-centric football, as Luka Modrić dictates the play and selects the moments when his team will press or sit back. Joško Gvardiol's ball-playing ability as the anchor of the defence, and his physicality and defensive nous can also shut down opposition attacks.
Cagey contest awaits
England have won their last two games, beating New Zealand and Costa Rica prior to the World Cup, while Croatia have won three and lost two in their last five, beating Slovenia last time out after two consecutive defeats to Brazil and Belgium.
Croatia are a very good football side, while Dalić, who has been in charge since 2017, has used their midfield and experience to get there. But England are the stronger side on paper and have been in good form, so the market is probably right to make England 1.78 favourites for this clash, although 4.82 on Croatia is a big price.
English overloading vs Croatian dominance in central areas
With Tuchel and Dalić's very different plans for this game, the game could be decided by whichever side can win the battle for the centre of the field, where England press and overload while Croatia try to dominate possession and dictate the tempo.
England have scored 12 goals in their last seven home games, but this is in Dallas and a more cagey affair seems likely. I'm taking 'Under 2.5 goals' at 1.74, while Andrej Kramarić can be backed to score anytime.
