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17 June 2026 175 comments
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We’ve seen 42 nations in action already at this summer’s FIFA World Cup – but now it’s time for England.

The Three Lions face Croatia in the Group L opener, with the action getting underway at 21:00 BST.

The Dallas Stadium hosts this evening’s game.

This is one of the more tight-looking matches of Round 1, alongside Netherlands v Japan, Belgium v Egypt and Brazil v Morocco. Will it buck the trend of those games and present us with a winner?

TEAM NEWS

Thomas Tuchel goes with the same team that started the pre-tournament friendly against Costa Rica.

In two of the more keenly contested positions, Jude Bellingham ($8.3m) and Anthony Gordon ($7.0m) get the nod over Morgan Rogers ($7.2m) and Marcus Rashford ($7.5m).

Noni Madueke ($6.1m) also starts ahead of club teammate Bukayo Saka ($9.5m), whose fitness has been managed since he joined the England camp.

At the rear, John Stones ($4.6m) and Ezri Konsa ($4.8m) are the centre-back pairing, so Marc Guehi ($5.1m) misses out.

Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic almost names the same team that he sent out to face Belgium in his country’s penultimate pre-World Cup kickabout.

There’s one change from that side, with Mario Pasalic ($6.4m) in for Mateo Kovacic ($6.0m).

Veteran attackers Ante Budimir ($6.8m) and Andrej Kramaric ($6.2m) have to make do with substitute roles, with Dalic opting for a younger frontline.

There’s still space for 40-year-old Luka Modric ($6.2m), however, who features in his fifth World Cup.

While every member of the sparingly owned Croatia squad qualifies for Scouting Bonus, a half-dozen England players (including the benched Guehi) are over the 5% threshold:

LINE-UPS

England XI: Pickford, James, Stones, Konsa, O’Reilly, Anderson, Rice, Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon, Kane.

Subs: Trafford, D Henderson, Burn, Eze, Guehi, J Henderson, Mainoo, Quansah, Rashford, Rogers, Saka, Spence, Toney, Watkins.

Croatia XI: Livakovic, Stanisic, Gvardiol, Sutalo, ‌Vuskovic, Perisic, ​Modric, Mario Pasalic, Baturina, Petar Sucic, Musa.

Subs: Kotarski, Pandur, Budimir, Caleta Car, Erlic, Fruk, Jakic, Kovacic, Kramaric, Matanovic, Moro, Marco Pasalic, Pongracic, Sucic, Vlasic.


175 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. JBG
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 41 mins ago

    Warra miss NOR

    1. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 hour, 18 mins ago

      Norway game was last night 😉

  2. EmreCan Hustle
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 40 mins ago

    Did ChatGPT tell every shoe manufacturer to make pink cleats?

  3. EmreCan Hustle
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 33 mins ago

    England in control now.

    1. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      55 mins ago

      Possibly the best 10 minutes of attacking football by any team so far .

    2. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      55 mins ago

      Showing the Premier League intensity Tuchel promised. Breathless in the 2nd half!

  4. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 30 mins ago

    Who has England 3-4 Croatia on their Bingo card?

  5. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 24 mins ago

    Needed Ronaldo to score seven earlier, having been spanked by Messi, Mbappe & Haaland (and now Kane) - instead he covered less than 700m in the whole game.

    Martinez totally afraid to sub him off after the Messi hatrick…pretty shocking

    1. JBG
      • 8 Years
      45 mins ago

      I read something on twatter earlier and it reminded me that Belgium wasted their golden generation on the Spanish Moyes and Portugal has pretty much done the same.

      1. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        7 mins ago

        Yep, leaving Ronnie on was bonkers

  6. SM001
    • 10 Years
    1 hour, 23 mins ago

    Will there as much rotation in MD 3 as we think given there is nearly a week between games for teams/players?

  7. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 19 mins ago

    Rogers & Rashford coming on?

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      41 mins ago

      Madueke, Gordon & Rice off

      Saka also on

      1. Moon Dog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        40 mins ago

        Yep

        Rice Gordon Madueke âž¡ Rogers Rashford Saka

        Rogers on for Rice is wild.

        1. keefy59
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          37 mins ago

          Yes Rice off is a strange one
          Bellingham probably back to cdm
          Another England goal hopefully a Kane hat trick & Watkins might link up with Rogers

          1. Moon Dog
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            31 mins ago

            And now Spence on for Bellingham. James into midfield.

            I can't keep up with Tuchel.

            1. keefy59
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 8 Years
              29 mins ago

              I don't know about you but
              These subs are making me nervous

              1. Moon Dog
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                26 mins ago

                The man knows what he's doing!

                Playing to England's strengths. Physicality, pressing, bravery!

                1. keefy59
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 8 Years
                  22 mins ago

                  Great attacking subs
                  But I was more worried about midfield & defence

                  1. Moon Dog
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    15 mins ago

                    Yeah, I mean Southgate's England was super comfy. Exceptional defensive record, and got to two finals as a result. But the fans didn't like it. Maybe it's time for England to be brave and take more risk. It won't be comfy, but it'll be fun.

  8. Pornchef
    • 2 Years
    1 hour, 16 mins ago

    Laughable you can't win or even get close t win a world cup with stones and Reece James at the back

    Marc guehi had all the big clubs scrambling after him??? But a non playing stones starts over him

    Facts not opinion

    1. Haa-lala-land
      • 5 Years
      1 hour, 7 mins ago

      Stones is a better defender than Guehi though

      1. JBG
        • 8 Years
        28 mins ago

        Not anymore

        1. Riverside Red
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          12 mins ago

          He's better

    2. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      11 mins ago

      They're not playing for their clubs. Tuchel has picked a squad of team players and picks his starting 11 he thinks is best to beat their opposition in that round.

  9. bso
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    1 hour, 12 mins ago

    Is Guimares worth brining in (with Vini)? Could be a blood bath vs Haiti.

    1. bso
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      30 mins ago

      Or is Diaz (Morocco) vs Scotland a better choice?

  10. Mom, Butters just gave me a…
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 10 mins ago

    Pickford looks like a clown in his shiny outfit.

    1. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      48 mins ago

      Pickford is class

    2. Mr. Blobby wants his onesie back.

  11. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 hour, 5 mins ago

    Rashy!

    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      28 mins ago

      Brilliant move

      1. GreennRed
        • 14 Years
        1 min ago

        Savage finish. Could have had 2 if he worked a bit on his left.

  12. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 4 mins ago

    4-2

  13. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    53 mins ago

    Good game

    1. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      11 mins ago

      Entertaining for sure!

  14. Tripswich
      42 mins ago

      If you were wildcarding at this point, who would you consider essential going forward?

    • The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      39 mins ago

      When are the line-ups announced?

      1. Freshy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        4 mins ago

        1 hour before kickoff

        1. The Polymath
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          2 mins ago

          Thanks

    • bso
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      24 mins ago

      Morocco looked really good vs Brazil. Surprised not many are considering them in round 2. I may go with Ibrahim Diaz vs Scotland.