Harry Kane scored twice in England's 4-2 win over Croatia, a stark contrast to his 2022 World Cup start where he took 269 minutes to manage a shot on target. After four games in Qatar, he had just five shots in total; against Croatia alone he had seven. "He will be on top of the world," said former England captain Alan Shearer. "As a striker, the one thing you desperately want to do at any major tournament is get off to a good start." Kane opened the scoring after 12 minutes, a moment Shearer described as "a massive relief". Under Thomas Tuchel, England are using Kane much like Bayern Munich did, and Shearer noted that Tuchel, who managed Kane at Bayern, knows how to get the best out of him. With Ghana and Panama next, Shearer said Kane's "eyes must be lighting up".
But not everyone shares the optimism. England won their final pre-World Cup warm-ups in Florida — a 1-0 win over New Zealand and a 3-0 win over Costa Rica, who did not qualify for the World Cup. However, two friendlies in March against Uruguay and Japan offered little encouragement. England failed to beat either, playing "stodgily unimaginative" football with many players unavailable through injury. One analysis described a "grim sense of familiarity" reminiscent of the era before Gareth Southgate. The bookmakers have England as third favourites to win the tournament. Tuchel, an excellent coach, has a skillset suited to international management — he can effect rapid change and achieve player buy-in. But problems have tended to emerge later, when he falls out with sporting directors and board members. His German nationality may help, providing distance and a willingness to take risks, as demonstrated by his controversial squad selection. "His life will not be defined by one decision," the analysis noted. England do have match-winning individuals, but the question remains: can Tuchel overcome the weight of history?
“Kane scores twice against Croatia, but pre-tournament friendlies and familiar flaws raise doubts about England's World Cup hopes.”