Tuchel facing a major decision for Croatia: Rashford is expected to remain on the bench, Gordon and Madueke await their chance
England's national football team enters the final days of preparation for its first match at the 2026 World Cup with several open questions about the starting line-up. On Wednesday, 17 June 2026, Thomas Tuchel's team plays against Croatia at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, and according to the schedule published by the Football Association, the match begins at 9 p.m. British time. It is England's first appearance in Group L, which also includes Ghana and Panama, so the duel against Croatia is immediately viewed as a match that can strongly shape the further course of the tournament. Although the official line-up has not been confirmed, British media in recent days have increasingly highlighted the possibility that Tuchel will start Anthony Gordon on the left wing from the first minute, while Marcus Rashford could begin the match among the substitutes. Further uncertainty is brought by the status of Bukayo Saka, because the England manager, according to a Reuters report, confirmed that the winger is still recovering from an Achilles tendon problem and that his minutes must be carefully managed.
The opening of Group L immediately brings a duel of great importance
According to FIFA's official schedule, England and Croatia meet in Group L at the stadium listed for the purposes of the tournament as Dallas Stadium. The Football Association stated that Tuchel's team, after Croatia, plays against Ghana on 23 June at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, and concludes the group on 27 June against Panama at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford. Such a schedule gives special weight to the first round, because a victory against a direct competitor would bring significant capital. In the World Cup format with 48 national teams, every points reserve in the group stage can be important. England comes to the tournament with expectations that traditionally follow its national team, while Croatia has behind it a period of exceptional results at World Cups, including the final in 2018 and third place in 2022.
The meeting in Dallas also has a strong historical framework because the two national teams are meeting again at the World Cup after the 2018 semi-final in Russia, when Croatia defeated England after extra time and reached the final. That context is often mentioned among the English public, but the current match has different circumstances: both teams enter with new generational balances, different personnel problems and new priorities. FIFA, in its match preview, recalls precisely that earlier great duel, but the emphasis is now on the opening of the tournament in North America. For England, this is the first major tournament under Tuchel, while Croatia continues its period under Zlatko Dalić. Because of that, the match is not seen only as another first round, but as an early test of the real reach of both teams.
Rashford on the bench, Gordon on the left side?
According to The Sun, Tuchel could leave Marcus Rashford on the bench against Croatia and give Anthony Gordon the advantage on the left side of the attack. Such a decision would not be small, because Rashford has the status of an experienced international in England and, according to data from the Football Association, this is his third World Cup. Gordon, on the other hand, represents the profile of a player who can offer Tuchel high intensity, vertical movement and aggressive pressing after losing the ball. If that expectation is confirmed, the choice of Gordon could show that the England manager wants more energy against Croatia in the phase without the ball and faster attacks into the space behind the full-backs. At the same time, Rashford's role from the bench would leave Tuchel with a powerful weapon for the continuation of the match, especially if space opens up for transition or if Croatia begins to lose compactness in the later phase of the encounter.
It is important to emphasize that England's starting line-up had not been officially confirmed by 15 June 2026. Media forecasts before major tournament matches are often based on training sessions and the assessment of the coaching staff, but the final decision can change until the day of the match. Tuchel has a wide choice in the offensive part of the team, and competition in the wing positions is especially strong. Rashford, Gordon, Saka and Noni Madueke provide different tactical options, from experience to dribbling, width and pressing. That is precisely why the expected choice on the wings is viewed as one of the most important signals about how England intends to attack Croatia.
Saka's fitness opens space for Madueke
The most sensitive question before the match remains the condition of Bukayo Saka. According to a Reuters report published on 10 June, Tuchel said that Saka is still returning after an Achilles tendon injury, which he suffered in March, and that he is not at a full one hundred percent. The same report states that Saka played through pain and discomfort toward the end of the club season, which explains why the England staff is approaching his workload cautiously in the tournament preparation. If Tuchel concludes that the risk is too great for the start of the match or for full minutes, Madueke could receive one of the biggest opportunities of his international career. His emergence into the foreground would also be important because Croatia traditionally tries to control the rhythm of a match through the middle of the pitch, so England might need a winger who quickly attacks one-on-one and forces the defence to shift.
Saka is one of the players who in recent years have given the England attack a recognizable identity, so any uncertainty around his status automatically changes the balance of the team. Tuchel's statement about carefully managing his recovery does not necessarily mean that Saka will not play, but it clearly shows that the coaching staff is thinking long-term. The World Cup is not decided only in the first round, so the risk with a player returning after injury must be carefully weighed. On the other hand, the match against Croatia is important enough that Tuchel must weigh caution against the need for the strongest possible line-up. In that balance lies a possible chance for Madueke as well, because the England manager could choose freshness and explosiveness instead of taking a risk with a player still searching for full rhythm.
Defensive dilemma: Konsa and Stones ahead of Guehi?
The surprise from the English reports also concerns the centre of defence. According to the same report from The Sun, Tuchel could start with Ezri Konsa and John Stones, while Marc Guehi would remain outside the starting 11. That would be a significant decision because Guehi has often been considered one of England's most stable centre-backs in recent seasons, but Tuchel is evidently considering a combination that can bring him more physical strength, experience in build-up play and calmness under pressure. Stones is, according to the Football Association's official squad announcement, among the players for whom this is a third World Cup, and his experience in matches of the greatest pressure can be an important argument. Konsa, meanwhile, brings athletic qualities and the ability to defend wider spaces, which may be crucial against Croatia if its midfielders manage to turn forward and find attackers between the lines.
Croatia has players who can punish weak coordination between centre-backs and defensive midfielders. Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Luka Sučić and Martin Baturina can change the rhythm with different profiles, while the width and experience of Ivan Perišić bring an additional challenge for England's full-backs. If Tuchel really chooses Konsa and Stones, that could mean he wants to better control the spaces behind the full-backs and reduce the risk in moments when England attacks high. Declan Rice will also have a special role, as he is expected to protect the defence and provide the first exit from Croatian pressure. England, therefore, is not deciding only on names in the back line, but on the entire mechanism with which it wants to stop Croatia's control of the middle of the pitch.
Bellingham, Rice and Kane as pillars of the English plan
Despite doubts on the wings and in defence, several names in the England line-up seem almost inevitable if they are medically fit. Harry Kane leads the team as captain, and the Football Association emphasized that he is thereby appearing as captain at a third World Cup, equalling the historical achievement of Billy Wright. Jude Bellingham should be the central figure between midfield and attack, while Declan Rice remains the main stabilizer of the team in the middle. Elliot Anderson is also mentioned in media projections as Rice's partner, which would give Tuchel a combination of energy, space coverage and faster pressure on the Croatian midfielders. If England wants to avoid a match in which Croatia dictates the tempo, the middle of the pitch will be precisely the area where the direction of the encounter can be decided.
Kane's role goes beyond finishing because his dropping to receive the ball could open space for the wingers and Bellingham's runs from deeper positions. Rice, on the other hand, will have to balance pressure and caution, especially if Modrić or Kovačić drops deep to pull England's midfielders out of position. Tuchel's England therefore enters the match with clear individual assets, but also with the question of whether it can connect those assets into a stable tournament system. The first match against Croatia will provide a far more concrete answer than friendly warm-up games.
Croatia arrives with experience, but also with its own problems
Croatia, according to FIFA's announcement about Dalić's squad, has combined veterans such as Luka Modrić and Ivan Perišić with younger players who should carry the future of the national team. Dalić, according to official FIFA information, has Croatia placed in a group with England, Ghana and Panama, and its schedule after England brings matches against Panama in Toronto and Ghana in Philadelphia. The Croatian manager is not hiding before the tournament how important the opening can be. In an interview published by The Guardian, he said that the first match can be decisive for the whole summer, recalling Euro 2024, when Croatia fell hard after defeat by Spain in the first round. The same report states that Kovačić, Joško Gvardiol and Modrić are returning after injury problems or a lack of matches, which further increases the importance of the correct choice of the starting line-up.
For England, that is information of special tactical value. If Croatia is not at the optimal physical level in the middle of the pitch, Tuchel could seek a high rhythm, intense pressure and faster attacks through the flanks. If, however, Modrić and Kovačić impose possession, England could find itself in a match in which it must show patience and discipline without the ball. Dalić's team has a reputation as a national team that often exceeds expectations at major competitions, but it also enters the tournament with the question of how long its experienced core can withstand the highest intensity. In such a context, the first goal, control of transition and the number of lost balls in midfield could be just as important as the individual quality of the forwards.
Predicted England eleven and what it would mean
If the British media forecasts are confirmed, England could start against Croatia with Jordan Pickford in goal, Reece James and Nico O’Reilly in the full-back positions, Stones and Konsa in central defence, Rice and Anderson in midfield, Bellingham as an attacking midfielder, and Gordon, Madueke and Kane in attack. Such a line-up would be aimed at intensity, speed on the wings and better protection of central defence. The absence of Rashford and a possible start without Saka would not necessarily mean a more defensive approach, but an attempt to open the match with players who are currently more ready for a high tempo. At the same time, a bench with Rashford, Saka, Eberechi Eze, Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins or Ivan Toney, depending on the final match sheet, would give Tuchel the option to change the rhythm of the encounter without losing quality.
- Key attacking question: will Tuchel choose the experience of Rashford and Saka or the freshness of Gordon and Madueke.
- Key defensive question: will Konsa and Stones be given the advantage ahead of Guehi in a high-pressure match.
- Key rhythm question: can England prevent Croatia from slowing the game through Modrić and Kovačić and imposing possession.
Given the permitted five substitutions, the starting line-up no longer means a closed plan for the whole match, but the first phase of a strategy. Tuchel can start with players who best suit the initial pressure and then use experience and individual quality from the bench when the match opens up. That is exactly why possibly leaving Rashford outside the starting 11 does not have to be a sign of lost trust, but part of broader squad management. The same logic applies to Saka, whose health status requires caution, but whose quality can be decisive even in limited minutes. England therefore seeks against Croatia not only a good result, but also the first proof that Tuchel knows how to manage tournament rhythm, the pressure of expectations and the depth of the squad.
The first test of Tuchel's England on the biggest stage
Tuchel, when the England squad was announced, according to the Football Association, said that he has complete confidence in the group of players he selected and that the selection process was difficult. Such a statement gains full weight precisely now, when the manager must decide between reputation, current form, health risk and a tactical plan for an opponent with great tournament experience. England arrived in the United States of America early enough in preparation to adapt to the conditions, and Dalić, in an interview with The Guardian, noted the seriousness of such an approach. Still, all preparations now come down to decisions that will be visible on the match sheet before kick-off. Gordon instead of Rashford, Madueke instead of Saka or Konsa ahead of Guehi are not only individual changes, but messages about Tuchel's understanding of the match against Croatia.
Croatia, on the other hand, will try to use the experience of its core and the fact that it knows how to play high-pressure matches. England has depth and individual quality, but against Dalić's team it will also have to show patience and discipline. That is why the duel in Dallas is read as one of the most interesting group openings at this tournament. Until the official confirmation of the starting line-ups, everything remains in the area of verified reports and tactical assessments, but the direction of England's decisions already indicates that Tuchel does not plan to play only on the reputation of the biggest names. The first match against Croatia will show how sustainable that approach is when the competitive pressure of the World Cup begins.
Sources:
- FIFA – official match centre for England - Croatia at the 2026 World Cup (link)
- England Football / The Football Association – official England schedule in Group L at the 2026 World Cup (link)
- England Football / The Football Association – official announcement of England's squad for the 2026 World Cup and Tuchel's statement on player selection (link)
- FIFA – official announcement on Croatia's squad for the 2026 World Cup and Croatia's schedule in Group L (link)
- Reuters / Flashscore – report on Tuchel's statement that Bukayo Saka is still recovering from an Achilles tendon injury (link)
- The Guardian – report from an interview with Zlatko Dalić on the importance of the first match against England and the condition of Croatian players (link)
- The Sun – British media forecast of a possible England starting line-up against Croatia, including Gordon, Madueke, Konsa, Stones and Rashford (link)