Twelve minutes into England’s 2026 World Cup campaign, the tournament delivered its first major talking point. Harry Kane stepped up to the penalty spot against Croatia, had his effort saved, then watched the referee point back to the spot for a retake.
The reason: Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic had moved off his goal line before Kane struck the ball. Kane buried the second attempt, putting England 1-0 up in their Group L opener.
What actually happened
The chain of events started when Luka Modric fouled Noni Madueke inside the Croatia penalty area. The referee pointed to the spot without much hesitation, and Kane placed the ball on the mark.
Livakovic dove and made what appeared to be a superb save. For a few seconds, Croatia celebrated. Then came the intervention that changed everything.
