The surprise England starter who thrived alongside Kane and Bellingham in Croatia win

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleEngland beat Croatia 4-2 in their first game at the 2026 World Cup, and The Independent’s Jamie Braidwood has rated every Three Lions player.Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham both received 8/10s, with the England captain scoring twice in the first half, while Jude Bellingham netted England’s third goal.Noni Madueke won a penalty as he starred after surprisingly getting the nod over Bukayo Saka, while Marcus Rashford scored England’s fourth goal which was set up by Saka, and all three players received a 7/10.There were some players who were not at their best, with Jordan Pickford and John Stones getting a 5/10 following a shaky defensive performance, while Anthony Gordon got the same mark after struggling to make an attacking impact.Full England ratings: Pickford 5, James 6, Konsa, 6, Stones 5, O’Reilly 6, Anderson 6, Rice 6, Bellingham 8, Madueke 7, Gordon 5, Kane 8. Substitutes: Rashford 7, Saka 7, Rogers 6, Spence 7, Guehi N/AIn fullEngland player ratings vs Croatia: Who impressed in World Cup opener?Thank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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