English messages before Croatia: Agbonlahor believes Modrić should not be feared as before
Former England international Gabby Agbonlahor, ahead of the match between England and Croatia at the World Cup, said that the English team should not be overly afraid of Luka Modrić. His assessment opened a familiar debate that has followed the Croatian captain for several major tournaments: to what extent Modrić, at the age of 40, is still the player around whom the opponent’s plan must be specially built, and to what extent a match against Croatia today can be read through the strength, speed and depth of England’s younger midfielders. Agbonlahor’s position starts from the assumption that Modrić’s influence is not the same as it was during the period when he was at his peak at Real Madrid and when he led Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final. Still, official data and statements from the Croatian camp show that Modrić, despite his age, remains the central figure of Dalić’s team and one of the main reasons why the clash in Dallas is being awaited with great attention. The match will be played on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 10 p.m. Croatian time.
A match that immediately sets the measure of Group L
According to FIFA’s official schedule, England and Croatia open their Group L campaign on 17 June at Dallas Stadium, in one of the most high-profile matches of the first phase of the tournament. Ghana and Panama are also in the same group, which gives the opening match additional weight because the winner would make a major step toward a calmer continuation of the competition right at the start. The Croatian Football Federation stated that after the duel with England, Croatia will face Panama in Toronto on 23 June and Ghana in Philadelphia on 27 June, while the official schedule of the English Football Association confirms that England will play Ghana and Panama after Croatia. In a group in which England, by the depth of their squad, are one of the favourites, while Croatia carry the reputation of a team that regularly exceeds initial expectations at World Cups, the result from Dallas could shape the entire psychological tone of the group.
The duel also has a strong historical layer. The English Football Association notes that this will be the second meeting between England and Croatia at World Cups, after the 2018 semi-final in Russia, when Croatia won 2-1 after extra time. The same source states that the national teams have met four times at major tournaments in this century, including Euro 2004, the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020. In the head-to-head record kept by the English Football Association, England have six wins, Croatia three, while two matches ended in draws. Those numbers do not decide the match, but they explain why every new England-Croatia match is also read through memories of Moscow, Wembley and the changing roles of the two national teams in European football.
Modrić between legendary status and questions of rhythm
Luka Modrić arrives in Dallas as Croatia’s captain and the wearer of the number 10 shirt on the final list submitted by the Croatian Football Federation to FIFA. UEFA, in its overview of the Croatian national team, states that Modrić, at 40 years old, is still playing at the highest level and that after a long and trophy-laden spell at Real Madrid, he moved to Milan in 2025. The same overview recalls that the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner is close to the mark of 200 appearances for Croatia, which further underlines the scale of his international career. The English Football Association, in its match preview, points out that by appearing against England, Modrić would enter a narrow circle of European players who have played at five World Cups. These are data points that do not directly refute Agbonlahor’s claim, but they give it a broader framework: the question is not only whether Modrić is physically the same as he was eight years ago, but whether he can still manage the rhythm of the match in moments when Croatia have the ball.
Zlatko Dalić, according to the Croatian Football Federation’s publication after the squad presentation, spoke about Modrić with full confidence. The coach stated that he has no doubts about the Croatian captain and that he expects him to perform at a high level, while stressing that Modrić still means an enormous amount to the national team. In the same interview, Dalić said that Croatia should be firmer, more defensive and with more midfielders against England, which suggests that the Croatian plan will not rely only on the captain’s individual class, but also on density in the middle of the pitch. In such a framework, Modrić’s role may be different than before: less constant running burden, more decision-making, control of the transition of play and recognition of the moment when the match should be slowed down or accelerated. That is precisely why the English assessment that he should be pressed with energy does not mean that he is a player who can be ignored.
The English argument: tempo, athleticism and a broader bench
Agbonlahor’s message fits into the broader English view of the match: England believe they have enough intensity in midfield to make it difficult for Croatia to play out through the middle and to reduce Modrić’s space for organisation. The English Football Association announced that Thomas Tuchel selected 26 players for the World Cup, including midfielders Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo, Morgan Rogers, Elliot Anderson, Eberechi Eze and Jordan Henderson. That group combines experience, strength in duels, speed in covering space and the ability to arrive in the final third. If England manage to maintain a high press, close the first passing lanes toward Modrić and force Croatia into a slower build-up through the wide areas, Agbonlahor’s claim could receive tactical confirmation on the pitch. If, however, the Croatian captain finds time to receive between the lines, England could quickly feel why Modrić remains a topic of every serious preparation for Croatia.
England enter the tournament with high expectations. The English Football Association, in its preview of the match, states that the team won all eight matches in European qualifying for the World Cup and did not concede a goal. The same source highlights that England have lost only one of their last eight opening matches at World Cups, while Croatia have won only once in their last five openers. Those data explain why English commentators speak with a degree of confidence. But they do not remove the risk carried by the first match at a major tournament, especially against a national team that played in the final in 2018 and finished third in 2022. In such matches, physical advantage is often important, but it is not the only decisive variable.
The Croatian response: compactness, experience and a cool head
Messages coming from the Croatian camp in recent days clearly indicate an awareness of England’s strength. Nikola Moro, according to a Croatian Football Federation publication from 15 June, said that England have exceptional players in every position and high intensity, but added that the other opponents in the group must not be underestimated either. Luka Sučić, in a statement for the Croatian Football Federation, assessed that the match will be difficult and that Croatia must remain compact throughout all 90 minutes. Duje Ćaleta-Car said, according to the Croatian Football Federation, that England must not be given too much space because they have individuals who can decide a match with a single move. Marin Pongračić, meanwhile, emphasised the collective as the key to stopping Harry Kane and other English attacking assets. The common thread of those statements is caution without defeatism: Croatia acknowledge the opponent’s strength, but start from their own experience and organisation.
Dalić’s final list further shows a blend of older leaders and younger solutions. The Croatian Football Federation announced on 1 June that the final list submitted to FIFA had no changes compared with the earlier selection, and among the players are Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić, Joško Gvardiol, Luka Sučić, Petar Sučić, Martin Baturina and Luka Vušković. UEFA, in its overview, stresses that Croatia enter the group as a national team that finished among the top three at the last two World Cups. This is an important context because the Croatian team is often assessed through age and kilometres covered, while its advantage lies in its understanding of tournament football. In high-pressure matches, Croatia have repeatedly shown the ability to survive difficult phases and punish opponents when they lose patience.
Why Modrić remains the central topic, even when his age is discussed
Agbonlahor’s statement actually opens a question that is broader than one player. England are not preparing only for Modrić, but for a system in which Modrić can still be the starting point of Croatia’s control of the ball. If England’s midfielders push him toward his own goal and prevent him from turning forward, Croatia will find it harder to reach Kramarić, Budimir or wide outlets toward Perišić and other wing options. If Croatia manage to create an overload in midfield, Modrić does not have to dominate physically in order to be decisive; it is enough for him several times to beat the press with his first touch or a switch of play. That is the difference between a player who lives off speed and a player who lives off reading the game.
That is precisely why the claim that England should not fear Modrić does not have to be the same as claiming that Modrić is no longer dangerous. It can mean that England believe in their own plan, the depth of their squad and their ability to raise the rhythm of the match above the zone in which the Croatian captain feels most comfortable. On the other hand, the Croatian perspective rests on the experience that major tournaments are often slower and more tactically closed than expected in previews. In such circumstances, one calm midfielder who knows when to put his foot on the ball and when to play vertically can have a greater influence than a purely physical comparison suggests. Modrić is no longer the same player as in 2018, but neither is the Croatian national team trying to repeat 2018 by the same means.
English speed against Croatian experience
The match in Dallas can therefore be read as a clash of two models. England under Tuchel have depth, youth, a strong qualifying picture and attackers who can threaten from different zones. Croatia have continuity of the coach, tournament resilience and a group of players who have gone through the toughest possible matches on the world stage. According to the English Football Association’s preview, Harry Kane can further extend England’s records for appearances at major tournaments, while Ivan Perišić in the Croatian shirt remains one of the most productive players in the history of the national team at major tournaments. In such an environment, Modrić is a symbol of experience, but he is not Croatia’s only axis. Kovačić, Gvardiol, Kramarić, the Sučićs and younger players will have to take on part of the responsibility if England manage to shut down the captain.
For Croatia, it is crucial that the match does not move in the direction of constant English transitions. For England, it is crucial not to allow Croatia long periods of possession in which the match slows down and the pressure on the favourites gradually grows. Agbonlahor’s message is therefore only part of the psychological preparation around the encounter, but not a final diagnosis. The pitch will show whether the English midfield is energetic enough to reduce Modrić’s influence to a minimum or whether the Croatian captain will, once again, find a way to guide the match with experience and technique against a younger and physically stronger opponent. The very first group match could answer the question of whether Croatia can, at this World Cup as well, combine old composure with new energy.
Sources:
- FIFA – official Match Centre for the England - Croatia match at the 2026 World Cup (link)
- FIFA – preview of the England - Croatia match and Group L schedule (link)
- UEFA – overview of Croatia at the 2026 World Cup, group, schedule, history and profile of Luka Modrić (link)
- Croatian Football Federation – final list of the Croatian national team for the 2026 World Cup (link)
- Croatian Football Federation – Zlatko Dalić’s statements about goals, Modrić and the plan for England (link)
- Croatian Football Federation – Nikola Moro’s statement about England’s strength and Group L (link)
- Croatian Football Federation – Luka Sučić’s statements ahead of the match with England (link)
- Croatian Football Federation – Duje Ćaleta-Car’s statements about England’s individuals and match preparation (link)
- Croatian Football Federation – Marin Pongračić’s statements about Harry Kane and Croatia’s approach to the tournament (link)
- England Football / The FA – official Match Centre, statistics and context of the England - Croatia match (link)
- England Football / The FA – official list of the England squad for the 2026 World Cup (link)
- talkSPORT – profile of Gabby Agbonlahor as a former Aston Villa striker and talkSPORT commentator (link)