England and Croatia lock horns in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup in Dallas, facing each other again in the tournament eight years after the Croatians left the Three Lions on the brink of the 2018 final in Moscow.
What makes football one of the most wonderful sports in the world is that you almost always get the chance for redemption sooner or later, even at a World Cup, despite it being a tournament that takes place only once every four years.
The closest England has come to a World Cup final in recent years was in 2018 in Russia; however, surprise package Croatia ended their dreams in the semi-finals.
A Croatian side led by stars such as Rakitic, Mandzukic, Perisic and Luka Modric masterminded an incredible extra-time victory over the Three Lions despite conceding an early opener from Kieran Trippier, which was cancelled out by Perisic’s equaliser and Mario Mandzukic’s winner.
Eight years on, the English will once again lock horns with the Croatians at a World Cup, as the two sides have faced each other three more times since that final, resulting in a draw and a win for England in the group stage of the 2019 Nations League and another victory for the Three Lions in the group stage of EURO 2021.
However, these matches are unlikely to have quenched the thirst for revenge of an England side that starts as one of the hot favourites to win the World Cup against a tough nut to crack in the form of Croatia.
Only 11 left standing
Of the Croatia squad that faced England in 2018, only six players remain in the Croatians’ roster for the 2026 World Cup: 31-year-old Dominik Livakovic, 37-year-old Ivan Perisic, 34-year-old Andrej Kramaric, 40-year-old Luka Modric, 32-year-old Mateo Kovacic and 29-year-old Duje Caleta-Car.
From that 2018 Croatia squad, Vrsaljko, Strinic, Corluka, Rakitic, Kalinic, Bradaric, Kalinic, Mandzukic, Rebic, Badelj, Pivaric and Subasic have hung up their boots. Lovren (PAOK), Brozovic (Al Nassr), Jedvaj (Panathinaikos), Rebic (Hajduk Split), Pjaca (Twente) and Vida (AEK Athens) are still active but have not been called up by Zlatko Dalic for the tournament to be hosted in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Croatia 2018 squad list: Livakovic, Vrsaljko, Strinic, Perisic, Corluka, Lovren, Rakitic, Kovacic, Kramaric, Modric (captain), Brozovic, L. Kalinic, Jedvaj, Bradaric, Caleta-Car, N. Kalinic, Mandzukic, Rebic, Badelj, Pjaca, Vida, Pivaric, Subasic
Croatia 2026 squad list: Livakovic, Kotarski, Pandur, Gvardiol, Caleta-Car, Sutalo, Stanisic, Pongracic, Erlic, Vuskovic, Modric, Kovacic, Pasalic, Vlasic, Sucic, Baturina, Jakic, Sucic, Moro, Fruk, Perisic, Kramaric, Budimir, Pasalic, Musa, Matanovic.
Meanwhile, only five players from the Three Lions’ 2018 squad have been called up again for the 2026 tournament: 32-year-old Jordan Pickford, 35-year-old Jordan Henderson, 31-year-old John Stones, 32-year-old Harry Kane and 28-year-old Marcus Rashford.
From that England squad in 2018, Rose, Cahill, Phil Jones, Delph and Young have retired, whilst Walker (Burnley), Dier (Monaco), Maguire (Man Utd), Lingard (Corinthians), Sterling (Feyenoord), Vardy (Cremonese), Trippier (Newcastle), Butland (Rangers), Welbeck (Brighton), Dele Alli (Free agent), Loftus-Cheek (AC Milan), Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid) and Pope (Newcastle) remain active but were not part of Thomas Tuchel’s plans, with the absences of the ‘Los Blancos’ full-back and the Red Devils’ centre-back being particularly surprising.
England 2018 list: Pickford, Walker, Rose, Dier, Stones, Maguire, Lingard, Henderson, Kane (captain), Sterling, Vardy, Trippier, Butland, Welbeck, Cahill, Jones, Delph, Young, Rashford, Dele, Loftus-Cheek, Alexander-Arnold, Pope.
England 2026 list: Pickford, Henderson, Trafford, James, Livramento, Guehi, Konsa, Stones, Quansah, O’Reilly, Burn, Spence, Rice, Anderson, Bellingham, Henderson, Rogers, Mainoo, Kane, Toney, Watkins, Saka, Madueke, Rashford, Gordon, Eze.