England manager Thomas Tuchel was full of praise for captain Harry Kane and midfielder Jude Bellingham after the duo inspired a thrilling 4-2 victory over Croatia in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L opener in Dallas. Kane struck twice in the first half, with Bellingham adding a third early in the second period, before a late Marcus Rashford goal sealed an entertaining win. Tuchel singled out Kane's all-round contribution—particularly a vital late block on Josko Gvardiol—as the hallmark of a complete performance, while hailing Bellingham's big-game mentality and willingness to embrace a team-first role.
"If you see the commitment of our captain, of our No 9 in the extra time, to block a crucial shot after a set-piece with all his body and his commitment to buy into a defensive action like this then you know everything about his performance today," Tuchel said. "A complete performance. Absolute leader. He's all in. Physically, mentally. It's the full package at the moment. He wants it and he leads by example, so we're very happy."
Kane Leads by Example
Kane's double took him level with Gary Lineker as England's all-time leading World Cup goalscorer on 10, but it was his defensive graft that most impressed Tuchel. The Bayern Munich striker was sharp in the box, first converting a retaken penalty and then heading home a Declan Rice corner, but his willingness to throw himselfin front of a fierce Gvardiol effort in the closing stages epitomised his commitment. "He's all in," Tuchel repeated. "It's the full package."
Bellingham's Team-First Mentality
Bellingham, deployed in a slightly different role to his usual Real Madrid position, was given the nod ahead of the in-form Morgan Rogers. Tuchel admitted it was a tough call but felt Bellingham's temperament in pressure games made it easy to trust him. "You can rely on Jude in these moments. He loves these pressure games. That brings out the best in him," Tuchel explained. "It's an easy decision to let him play and trust him, also because of the last 17 days how he bought into the idea of team spirit, the idea of brotherhood and the idea of how we want to play football."
The England boss also noted Bellingham's evolution into a "top team player" and the difficult conversation with Rogers. "The tough decision was to say to Morgan Rogers he will not start because he deserves 100 per cent to start and he did ever so well for us and me," he said. "Jude was very reliable and did his very best to be a top team player for us."
Rashford's Hunger Rewarded
Substitute Marcus Rashford, who has struggled for international form in recent years, capped the scoring with a fine finish. Tuchel was delighted for the winger, who had impressed in training throughout the camp. "Marcus is pushing and pushing and pushing and training on the highest level," Tuchel said. "I'm very happy for him that he got this relief and I hope he stays hungry for the next one and the next one."
Tuchel added that Rashford has been "totally invested in every meeting" and is "in a very good place" mentally. The goal was his first for England in over a year, and the manager wants it to spark a consistent run. "He was the one to unlock this long spell where he was not decisive for us from within the game and hopefully he can keep this up."
Key Takeaways
- Harry Kane's all-action display—two goals and a crucial defensive block—earned him Tuchel's "all-in" label.
- Jude Bellingham starred in a slightly unfamiliar role, putting team spirit above personal stardom.
- Marcus Rashford's late goal could reignite his international career, with Tuchel urging him to stay hungry.
- England's attack looks potent, but defensive lapses need addressing before the Ghana game.
- Tuchel's man-management is fostering a strong collective mentality.
Quick Facts
Result: England 4–2 Croatia
Goal scorers: Harry Kane (2), Jude Bellingham, Marcus Rashford; Martin Baturina, Petar Musa
Kane milestone: Equals Gary Lineker as England's top World Cup scorer (10 goals)
Next match: England vs Ghana, Tuesday, Group L
Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas