England face a stern test against Croatia in their highly anticipated World Cup opener on Wednesday.
Thomas Tuchel has several major selection dilemmas to solve before naming his starting lineup. The Three Lions aim to carry their flawless qualification form into the tournament proper. They won all eight qualifiers without conceding a single goal to show immense stability.
England team news
Tucel faces an unexpected selection headache after full-back Tino Livramento withdrew from the squad with a calf injury sustained in training. Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah was called up as his replacement to provide essential defensive cover. However, Reece James was always expected to start at right-back.
Jordan Pickford will start in goal behind a restructured backline, where John Stones and Ezri Konsa are battling Marc Guehi for central spots. Meanwhile, 21-year-old rising star Nico O’Reilly is set for a landmark start at left-back due to his exceptional positional intelligence.
In midfield, Declan Rice will partner Elliot Anderson to provide energy and defensive stability. Jude Bellingham expects to get the nod in the advanced number 10 role over Morgan Rogers to support central striker Harry Kane.
Anthony Gordon will feature on the left wing ahead of Marcus Rashford. That said, Noni Madueke could start on the right side if Bukayo Saka sits out. Saka has played down fitness concerns surrounding an Achilles issue, but Tuchel may still err on the side of caution.e start.
England predicted lineup
England predicted XI: Pickford; James, Stones, Konsa, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.
When will the match kick off?
The FIFA World Cup group match at Dallas Stadium kicks off at 21:00 BST on Wednesday, 17 June 2026.
How to watch England vs Croatia?
In the United Kingdom, the match will be broadcast live on ITV1 and can be streamed via ITVX. Football fans in the United States can watch the broadcast live on Fox Sports.
Read more – Herve Renard returns as Tunisia hire new manager mid-World Cup
See Also- Croatia: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
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