England named Arsenal forward Noni Madueke in their starting lineup ahead of Bukayo Saka for their Group L World Cup opener against Croatia on June 17, 2026, at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas [1, 2].
Alongside Madueke, Anthony Gordon was selected over Marcus Rashford on the left side of England's attack, signaling a tactical choice by the manager for the opening match [1, 2].
Croatia's captain was Luka Modric, playing in his fifth World Cup and marking his 199th international appearance for his country. This milestone made him one of Croatia’s most capped players as he led the team under coach Zlatko Dalic [1, 2].
Mateo Kovacic started the match on the bench, with Dalic opting for different midfield options at kickoff [1, 2].
The match marked the official start of Group L’s fixtures at the World Cup hosted in the United States, with Dallas Stadium serving as the venue on June 17.
Further lineup selections and tactical changes were expected as the tournament progressed.