England overcomes Croatia in World Cup thriller
England’s impressive World Cup victory over Croatia has earned praise from some unlikely admirers, with newspapers in Germany and Argentina among those hailing Thomas Tuchel’s side after their thrilling 4-2 triumph, reports BritPanorama.
The Three Lions recovered from twice surrendering the lead in the first half to produce a dominant display after the break, leaving many of the tournament’s traditional heavyweights taking notice. England initially took the lead through Harry Kane, but Croatia equalised shortly after. Kane restored England’s advantage before Petar Musa’s late first-half leveler set up a tense second half.
Perhaps most striking was the reaction in Germany, where praise for England has not always come easily. BILD described the contest as the “best match of the World Cup”, reflecting the entertainment provided by both teams in Arlington.
Argentina’s Ole was similarly complimentary, suggesting England had shown signs they could become genuine contenders for the trophy. They noted that Tuchel’s men were “showing glimpses of being contenders” and labelled the encounter a “total show”, singling out Kane for his two goals.
Spanish media focused heavily on Jude Bellingham, following another influential display from the Real Madrid midfielder. Marca’s headline declared: “Finally, Bellingham!” The newspaper added that England had at last seen “the Bellingham England was waiting for,” insisting the 22-year-old had repaid Tuchel’s faith after being selected ahead of Morgan Rogers.
France’s L’Equipe also praised England’s performance, describing it as a “masterclass” and “pure entertainment,” while Dutch outlet De Telegraaf called the display “dazzling.” In Argentina, Clarin went as far as to describe the result as a “thrashing.”
In a frantic opening period, England looked vulnerable despite taking the lead through Kane’s penalty, which had to be retaken after encroachment. Baturina’s equaliser for Croatia was followed by Kane’s header from a Declan Rice corner before Musa’s equaliser just before half-time left the teams tied.
Tuchel’s interventions during the break proved decisive. Bellingham restored England’s lead shortly after the restart, followed by a fourth goal from Marcus Rashford late on after a combination with fellow substitute Bukayo Saka.
Tuchel later revealed he had deliberately kept his team talk calm despite his side’s frustrating first-half display, stating, “I sat down with them. I gave them quiet time for themselves. I told them to calm down. We just conceded a goal. Calm down, calm their nerves and encourage them to do it our way.”
England will now turn their attention to Tuesday’s meeting with Ghana. Following that match, they face Panama. As England seeks to build on this momentum, the contrast between their opening vulnerabilities and second-half dominance underscores the unpredictable nature of knockout football.
