Select Your England Starting XI for 2026 World Cup Opener Against Croatia

Thomas Tuchel has been entrusted with the challenge of ending England’s 60-year drought for a second World Cup title as he leads the Three Lions into the highly anticipated 2026 tournament.

Ranked fourth globally by FIFA, England is seen by many as a strong contender to advance deep into the newly-expanded 48-team competition, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The Three Lions showcased their prowess during UEFA qualifying, winning all eight of their group matches and scoring an impressive 22 goals without conceding.

As former champions from 1966, England is now gearing up to face Croatia, Ghana, and Panama in Group L. Following warm-up matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica, they will kick off their World Cup journey with a challenging encounter against the 2018 finalists Croatia at AT&T Stadium in Texas.

In this context, Sports Mole invites fans to select their preferred starting XI for the match against Croatia and share their choices on social media!

Who will you include in your England starting lineup against Croatia?

In the absence of injury concerns, several players appear to be staples in Tuchel’s strongest lineup. Among them is goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

Despite facing fitness challenges during the 2025-26 season, departing Manchester City defender John Stones remains part of Tuchel’s 26-man squad, potentially forming a central defensive partnership with either Marc Guehi or Ezri Konsa unless they both start together.

Chelsea’s Reece James seems to be leading the race for the right-back position over Tino Livramento, while rising star Nico O’Reilly is expected to take on left-back duties after impressing at the Etihad Stadium.

Declan Rice appears to be one of Tuchel’s key selections, likely partnering with Nottingham Forest’s sought-after star Elliot Anderson in midfield.

Jude Bellingham has been assigned England’s No.10 shirt, suggesting he may secure the central attacking midfield role over Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.

On the flanks, Bukayo Saka has returned to full fitness and is expected to feature on the right wing ahead of Arsenal teammate Noni Madueke. Meanwhile, new Barcelona signing Anthony Gordon will compete with fellow winger Marcus Rashford for a place on the left side.

No one would be surprised to see England captain and all-time leading scorer Harry Kane spearhead Tuchel’s attack. The Bayern Munich striker has emerged as a Ballon d’Or contender this year after netting an astonishing 61 goals in just 51 appearances during the 2025-26 season.

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